


As the Crow Sails

by Stacysmash



Series: Pirates of the Caribbean AU [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Comedy, Eventual Smut, F/M, Inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean, Kurodai is main ship all others are a minor, M/M, Pirates, Porn With Plot, Rare Pairings, Slow Burn, Smut, Supernatural Elements, Swordfighting, lots of ships, plot driven story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-03 15:59:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 69,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13344588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: “Ship off the larboard bow!” Hinata’s voice called down from amongst the sails. They all charged out of the cabin and up onto the quarterdeck. Daichi lifted his spyglass to his eye and pointed it to the front of the boat and to the left.Just barely visible was the outline of a ship, like a flickering shadow cutting through the water at an astonishing rate. He tipped glass up slightly until he settled on the flag identifying the vessel, flapping in the wind. His breath caught as saw it was black, three blood red claw marks slashing diagonally across it.He lowered the spyglass as his heart pounded in his chest, his throat dry as he tried to find the words. “It’s the Nekoma.”





	1. An Important Task for Captain Sawamura

Captain Sawamura Daichi stood patiently in the hallway, staring at the door to the Governor’s office. He glanced at the soldiers standing guard in their crisp teal and white uniforms, their faces stern and facing forward. His mouth twitched to the side in irritation as he noted their impressive height, despite being younger than him, even with his hat on.

He looked out the window, seeing the rolling ocean beckoning beyond the glass. It seemed unnatural not being able to hear it. Most buildings in the Caribbean were built to be more open, allowing the salty breeze to sweep through, carrying with it the roar of the waves to soothe the soul. He noted, however, that most of the nobility and officers of the King’s political ambassadors preferred to shut themselves away from the untamed music of nature surrounding them. It was something hard for a man like Daichi to understand, since he had spent most of his life on the islands. The air in the room was stifling to him, hearing only the sound of a ticking clock and the broom sweeping across the floor as a servant shuffled around him, the old man paying Daichi no mind as if he were nothing more than an end table.

The door suddenly swung open, causing both soldiers to flinch slightly. Daichi didn’t blink an eye with the sudden movement, but gave a proper salute to Commodore Iwaizumi who stood on the other side.

“Commodore.”

“Captain Sawamura, I’m glad to see you, it’s been some time. Did you recently return with your crew?”

“Yes, sir, a couple days ago. I received a message that the Governor needed to see me immediately?”

A voice from behind the Commodore suddenly sang out, “Iwa-chan, if I wanted a guard dog I’d buy something cuter than you. Let Captain Sawamura in!”

Daichi stifled his grin as he watched the vein in the Commodore’s forehead pop in his anger. “The Governor will see you now, Captain. I’m going to test out our new canons,” He growled as he stomped past him out the door.

Daichi entered the room and shut it behind him. The room was ornate with its decorations, tasteful but too gaudy for his taste. Behind a long, curved desk sat Governor Oikawa, observing him in his calculative way. He was young for a Governor, but his skills in management and social endeavors assisted him in climbing to the top of the social ladder and won him many favors with the King and other nobility. His devastating good looks earned many swoons from the young ladies and several men as well, though like the ostentatious mask of the room, it did little to appeal him to Daichi. He did rule the Port Seijoh and most of the Caribbean, however, and Captain Sawamura and his ship were currently in his employ.

“You asked for me, My Lord?”

“Yes, yes. I have a task for you and your crew, Captain. It is _extremely_ important and _highly_ secretive! As you know, being from the island of Miyagi, the young Lady Yachi is in charge of it entirely. She’s a sweet girl, but very inexperienced and dare I say… timid? Now, wouldn’t it be in everyone’s best interest if I were to marry her and with my expertise bring the island of Miyagi under my protective wing?”

Daichi frowned as he considered this. He had known Lady Yachi since she was a young girl, and his assumption of her being timid was accurate. However, she was incredibly perceptive and kind, and he admired the way she has been throwing herself into her responsibilities and not afraid to take criticism from her advisors. For her to marry a conniving man such as Governor Oikawa, the very thought roiled in his stomach like bad indigestion. Yet it wasn’t his place to say so.

“I couldn’t say whether that would be good or bad, My Lord. I am a ship captain, and I am not in your employ to assist with political matters. What did you need me for?”

Governor Oikawa laughed, “As always, Captain, firm and straight to the point, just like my delightful Commodore. In order to gain My Lady’s favor, I have a gift for her. I would like you to deliver this gift and my offer of marriage to Lady Yachi.”

“Of course, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“Oh, but there may be problems,” Governor Oikawa replied cryptically, leaning forward as a smirk hung on his lips. “The gift is a chest of gold and gems from my personal vault that I have amassed over my lifetime. It is worth more than the lives of you and your crew, and should any pirates hear of your cargo, you may experience some trouble.”

Daichi subdued a growl in his throat at the hint that the chest was worth more than his crew. The Governor did not have a clue what his crew was worth, which to him was more than all the gold in the Caribbean. He kept his anger clenched in his jaw as he replied, “And if we should run into pirates, My Lord?”

The smirk slid off the Governor’s face, his brown eyes darkening as they glittered in the light of the afternoon sun pouring in through the window. “Do anything you have to keep the treasure out of the hands of pirates. I would rather see it at the bottom of the ocean than in their hands. Sink the ship if you have to, I will tolerate nothing less.”

 

After receiving his strict instructions, Daichi left the Governor’s office and closed the door behind him. He glanced at the two soldiers, knowing that with the Governor’s enthusiastic voice they probably heard every word. His eyes locked onto the old man still sweeping around the office.

“Does he spend all day in here? Do you trust him that much?” Daichi muttered toward the taller of the soldiers.

The soldier glanced at the servant and replied in a normal tone, “Oh, that’s just Old Man Nekomata. He’s deaf as a bat.”

There was the sound of a heavy sigh and the other soldier spoke up. “Kindaichi, bats have excellent hearing. The phrase is _blind_ as a bat.”

“Nekomata isn’t blind.”

“I didn’t say he was, bats are.”

“Actually,” Daichi interrupted, “bats can see, it’s just their hearing is much better.” He groaned internally at getting pulled along into the idiotic conversation. He gave them a nod and hurried out of the room and down the grand staircase, sidestepping as servants rushed back and forth. As he stepped out the front door of the Governor’s Manor, he took a deep breath as he soaked in the salty air sweeping up the hill from the shore. His fingers crept under his collar, and he undid the top button he used only in the Governor’s presence. His feet moved forward, carrying him into the town as he ran through the list of every place he’d need to visit to round up his men. It was lively as the sun began to set on the West side of the island, the villagers completing their work for the day and perusing the shops before they settled in for the evening.

“Captain Sawamura!” He heard a voice call behind him, and he turned to see a young woman rushing along the cobblestone street toward him.

“Miss Michimiya,” He greeted with a polite smile and a slight bow. “What can I do for you?”

She stopped abruptly in front of him, suddenly seeming nervous as she curled her fingers into the skirt of her flowered dress. “Um, sorry to bother you. I just heard you arrived and I was hoping to speak with you.”

"What about? Is something the matter?”

“Oh, no! Just about… anything. You know, a conversation.”

“Ah, I see. Well unfortunately now isn’t the best time, Miss. We are being sent out right away, and I have some things to take care of. Perhaps we can talk another time?”

Her face fell as her shoulders slumped down, “Oh, what a shame. Of course, I won’t keep you any longer.”

“Thank you, Miss Michimiya. Until next time!” He gave her a nod and continued on his way toward the village center, knowing half his crew was likely spending their time at the local tavern. He stopped just a couple buildings down from where Michimiya had met him when he heard snickering. Standing in front of the Butcher shop was Suga, his first mate and best friend, and the devious smirk on his face filled him with dread.

“What?” He grumbled.

“What did Miss Michimiya have to say?”

Daichi shrugged, “I don’t know, she wanted to have a conversation?”

“Hmm, it seemed a bit short for a conversation.”

“Of course, I’m busy and didn’t have the time.”

Suga laughed, “Poor girl, you’re so clueless. Would it have killed you to spend a _little_ time with her?”

“Why? We need to gather the crew as soon as possible. We’re being sent back out.”

The smirk faded from Suga’s face. “Why? We just got back!”

“The Governor has an assignment for us, and you know I can’t refuse. We leave at daybreak; can you help me round up the boys?”

Suga sighed dramatically but nodded. They continued down the street as the streetlamps were just being lit for the evening.

“So, you really don’t think Miss Michimiya is attractive?”

“Huh? She’s pretty I guess, why?”

“Never mind, it’s a lost cause. Have you ever thought about love?”

“Where is this even coming from?”

“You never talk about it, doesn’t every sailor dream of a love to come home to?”

Daichi frowned, “I’ve never thought about it. Honestly, I’d rather be on the ship than on land.”

Suga snorted, “Yeah, that’s what I figured. So maybe not love, but haven’t you ever found someone so attractive you feel it grip your stomach, your mouth starts to water, and your insides turn into jelly?”

“Ew, no. Is there someone even that good looking that could do that?”

“Yes! It’s an incredible feeling!”

“Thank God, we’re here.”

Laughter and music poured over them as they walked into the warm light of the tavern. There was a mixed crowd of villagers and soldiers, all drinking and relaxing for the evening as the barmaids weaved through the tables. Daichi and Suga glanced around for any sign of their crew, and received their first clue when they heard a slap and an uproar of laughter. At a table near the bar sat Nishinoya and Ennoshita trying to stifle their laughter as a fuming barmaid stomped away. Daichi and Suga exchanged a look and made their way through the crowded room. As they approached, an arm reached up and clung onto the dented wood table, Tanaka’s face following behind as he lifted himself up. His cheek was bright red, and as soon as he found his seat brought his cool mug of ale and pressed it to the side of his face.

“Tanaka, what did you do?”

“Captain!” Tanaka cried as he straightened up. “Nothing much! I just pulled her onto my lap, I thought she needed a break!”

Ennoshita and Nishinoya degenerated into another round of chuckles, and Suga couldn’t help but join in. Daichi rolled his eyes, but a smirk played on his lips. “Please try to behave in a more gentlemanly manner. You wouldn’t want to hurt my reputation, would you? Or that of the ship?”

Tanaka’s eyes grew wide and then slid downward as he hung his head. “No, I’m sorry. I guess I was just feeling frisky.”

Daichi laughed and shook his head, “I’m no expert, but I don’t think grabbing women is a sure way to get them to like you.”

“Nope, you should just do what the Captain does and ignore them! Then they’ll come flocking,” Suga teased with a wink.

“What are you talking about?”

Suga giggled and waved him off. “Nothing! Anyways, shouldn’t we tell them why we’re here?”

“Oh, yes. We’re being sent out, we leave at daybreak.” All three of them groaned in response.

“How am I supposed to meet a girl if we’re never on land?!” Tanaka whined.

Ennoshita gave him a side glance, “We’ve been here for several days, it doesn’t take that long to simply meet someone.”

Nishinoya laughed, “Cheer up, Ryuu! I’ll be your wingman next time and help you out.”

“As I was saying,” Daichi continued, “Ennoshita, make sure you have all the supplies for our next voyage on ship and ready to go. Rope these two into helping. Oh, and we’re gonna need a couple barrels of explosives.” Tanaka and Nishinoya cheered, and Daichi narrowed his eyes. “Maybe get Asahi to help you with that instead of these two. Speaking of which, where is he?”

Ennoshita gave a jerk of his head toward the stairs that went upstairs to the rooms. “He’s sleeping already, said he can’t get enough of a real bed on dry land.”

Daichi smiled and nodded, “Let him get at least a couple more hours before waking him. That’ll give you time to get our supplies. How about the others?”

“Kinoshita and Narita are still on ship duty, and the younger were in the market last I saw them.”

“Alright, I’ll check there next. Make sure you’re all packed and on board before daybreak, or I’m leaving you behind.”

“Aye Aye!”

Daichi turned to leave, but Suga lingered as he looked at them all sternly. “Don’t forget to leave out your offering before stepping onto the ship.”

Ennoshita smiled and nodded, “Don’t worry, we won’t forget.”

 

They left behind the warmth and mirth of the tavern as they stepped back onto the street. Daichi gazed up, picking out the first appearance of stars in the darkening sky. “Suga, why don’t you go ahead and pick up any supplies you need and relieve Kinoshita and Narita, so they can attend to any business before everything closes. I’ll grab the last four and meet you on board.”

“Alright, Captain!” He said cheerfully as he gave Daichi a playful jab on the shoulder. He rubbed it gingerly as he made his way through the market. He paused by a grocer’s stall to pick up a large bag of seeds and wandered around until he spotted the rest of his crew. They were all lounging near the town square, sitting on a stone wall as they listened to a street performer while they ate their dinner. Hinata jumped up when he saw him approaching and ran up to him.

“Captain! What are you doing? Did you need me for something?” Hinata was vibrating with enthusiasm, and Daichi couldn’t help but ruffle his fingers through his mop of orange hair.

“Yup, we’re being sent out at daybreak, so I want you all to get anything else you’ll need for the journey now, so you’ll be ready. Kageyama, have you fixed the blade on your sword?”

Kageyama stood up straight and nodded. “Yes, and I bought an extra sword just in case… and a new knife.”

Daichi laughed, “Well, at least you’re prepared. Tsukishima, did you pick up those maps I asked you to?”

“Yes, Captain, I did it our first day back and they’re already on the ship.”

“Excellent. Make sure you get a good rest and be back on the ship before dawn. And don’t forget to leave your offering, otherwise Suga will have your hide.”

“I’ll make sure we have enough!” Yamaguchi said, a proud smile on his face. He was never one of Daichi’s flashiest crewmembers, but like Ennoshita he was one of the most reliable with his own subtle skills.

He left them to their squabbling as they decided which shop to go next. He descended the curved path that lead down to the docks, the cool ocean breeze washing over him as he relished the refreshing scent. He bypassed the wood steps that would lead him to his ship and instead walked along the grassy beach until he spotted a grove of bushes. He craned his head as he observed the air and surrounding area, ascertaining there were no gulls hovering around in the immediate area. He unwrapped the bag he purchased earlier and slipped his hand inside, feeling the seeds flow over his fingers in a soothing way. After grabbing a handful, he scattered them about the bushes and onto the ground. There was a grassy hill behind the bushes, and he threw a couple handfuls across the grass. The flap of wings surrounded him with a chorus of brash _caws_ ringing out. Black shadows flew in and covered the bushes and hillside.

“My gifts to you, dear friends,” Daichi said softly as his hand slipped into the bag once again. “Please grant us your mercy, that we may return once again.” He tossed out the rest of the seeds and watched as they feasted on his offering.

Once the bag was entirely empty, he turned and walked back toward the steps. The salt worn wood creaked under the weight of his feet as he passed by ship after ship wading in the deep harbor. He passed by the ship next to theirs and paused, taking in the entire sight of his ship: The Karasuno. It was a small brig, manageable for the 12-man crew but deadly quick in the water. As it swayed in place, Daichi smiled at the figurehead carved into the front of the ship; an inky black crow with its wings outstretched across the bow, its beak open in a call.

When Daichi was a young boy, all he had dreamed of was owning his own ship, sailing into the unknown horizon with his best friends by his side. As the son of a servant, however, it was nothing but a dream for the longest time. He worked in the Yachi household, a family of nobility who were well liked on the island and treated Daichi and his family well with the rest of the servants. Any spare moment he had, however, was spent by the docks listening to the sailor’s stories and helping them with little jobs. He had become so skilled that he began gaining a reputation at the docks, and soon it paid off. The great sea captain Ukai had taken notice, and paid his parents a great sum of money to allow Daichi to become a cabin boy on his ship. The old man worked Daichi hard, but he threw himself into his duties without complaint. As age and experience increased, so did Daichi’s duties aboard Ukai’s ship. He even shadowed the captain’s grandson, Keishin, who was always patient with his enthusiastic protege.

The Ukai’s knew early on of Daichi’s dream of owning his own ship, and they gave him advice on the steps he would need to take to afford one. For his 21st birthday, Ukai found a used ship that was for sale that (with a little help from him and his grandson) Daichi could finally afford. Luckily most of the carpenters and smiths on the island owed Daichi a million favors, and in just a couple years he was able to fix up and redesign the ship entirely to his specification, naming it The Karasuno. Most of his crew was made up of his friends that had a similar upbringing on the island, though a couple he had employed separately when he could afford to give them a higher pay. They began by transporting goods across the Caribbean, and with his knowledge of the waters, the quickness of the ship and the skills of the crew, they became renowned for evading pirates with an almost supernatural ability. That was when Governor Oikawa took notice of him and put him in permanent employ.

“Sometimes I think you’re actually in love with her,” Suga’s voice said behind him. Daichi turned toward him, and seeing his arms full of supplies offered to take some off his hands.

“In love with who?”

“The Karasuno.”

Daichi snorted, “She’s a ship, I’m not in love with her.”

Suga giggled as they stepped onto the gangplank and boarded the ship. “You should’ve seen your face gazing at her. I’ve never seen you look at a woman like that.”

“Seriously, Suga, why have you been hounding me about that all night?”

“I just want you to have a social life, outside of the ship. You’re not getting any younger.”

“I’m only 25. I think I’ll be just fine.”

“Sure, you will,” Suga replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The ship was quiet without most of the crew on board, and it didn’t take long to round up Narita and Kinoshita below and send them off to take care of some things before they shove off in the morning. Daichi excused himself to his cabin to get some rest while Suga kept watch. Before the sun rose up over the horizon, Daichi gazed out the window of his cabin as he gazed at the sleeping Port Seijoh one last time before shoving off. He snickered as he watched a few of his crew members laughing and teasing each other as they made their way down the curved path toward the docks. A few minutes later there was a knock at his door.

“Come in!”

Daichi looked over his shoulder as Tsukishima entered, adjusting his spectacles on his face as he gave a polite nod. “Captain, would you like me to chart our course?”

“Yes, go ahead.” Tsukishima walked to a large table with maps and equipment littered on top of it. With a slight click of his tongue Tsukishima straightened it up before spreading out the appropriate map, securing it with weights. A movement outside the window caught Daichi’s eye, and he turned back to see Commodore Iwaizumi leading a few soldiers carrying a heavy, nondescript crate toward the docks.

“Tsukishima?”

“Yes, Captain?”

“Chart a course for Miyagi the long way around.”

“The long way? That would add a couple days to our journey.”

“Do we have enough supplies?”

“Yes, of course.”

Daichi sighed and turned toward his Navigator, walking up to the table as his eyes glanced over the map. “Our cargo this trip is about 100 times more valuable than it usually is.” Tsukishima’s eyes widened as he listened. “If any pirates in the vicinity hear of it, they’ll descend on us like vultures. Perhaps this way we’ll avoid any scuffles.”

Tsukishima gave a quick nod and locked his eyes back on the map, studying it carefully. Daichi clapped him on the shoulder as he left him to his work. He stepped out of the cabin just as the soldiers were shuffling precariously onto the gangplank under the weight of the crate. As they made it safely on board, Ennoshita guided them down below the decks where it would stay until they arrived in Miyagi. Daichi glanced at the Commodore who was hovering by the side of the ship. His eyes lingered on the crate, his face so disgusted Daichi wondered if it insulted his mother.

“Commodore? Is everything alright?”

The Commodore flinched as he was shaken from his thoughts. “Yeah, sorry. I’m not pleased with these arrangements, but… well, it’s none of my business. Anyways, be safe on the waters, Captain Sawamura.”

“Yes, Sir. I always am.”

The Commodore gave him a nod as his men climbed back on deck to join them. “Well, that about does it. Oh, I almost forgot.” He slipped his hand inside of his coat and pulled out a letter, the Governor’s seal on the envelope. The scowl on his face darkened as he held it out for Daichi, his fingers tightening slightly as Daichi tried to tug it out of his grasp. Daichi cleared his throat, and the Commodore’s expression lightened as he relinquished the letter at last. His cheeks reddened as he tipped his hat.

“Good luck,” He grumbled as he stomped off the ship.

“What was that about?” Suga asked as he came up from behind.

“Something tells me he’s more against this arranged marriage than I am,” Daichi muttered to his friend. He squinted as the rays of morning light cut across the deck of the ship and bathed them in gold. “It’s time to go. Ennoshita! Is everyone on board?”

“Yes, Captain! Everyone is accounted for.”

“Then bring up the anchor. Yamaguchi! You have the helm.”

“Aye, aye, Captain!”

Captain Sawamura stood on the quarterdeck as he smiled, feeling the salty ocean wind rushing by him as if he were a bird soaring into far reaches unknown. His crew busied themselves around deck, Hinata climbing up the ropes to the crow’s nest like a spider monkey. The thrill of casting out to sea trickled through his veins, and he didn’t look behind as Port Seijoh faded in the distance.

Over the next couple days, the crew had forgotten their melancholy from leaving the port so quickly, and amid their duties had ways of keeping their spirits up. Though Nishinoya was their ship’s doctor, he was athletic and spry enough to give Hinata a break in the crow’s nest. Instead of resting, however, Hinata would bug Kageyama to practice their swordsmanship. Considering Kageyama slept with his sword in his hand, it was difficult for him to refuse Hinata’s enthusiasm, and they would leap about the deck as their swords clashed in the air. As long as they didn’t go overboard, metaphorically and physically, Daichi never minded them sharpening their skills, and would often give them advice on their technique.

As things quieted down in the evenings, Asahi would sit on a barrel as he played his accordion, Nishinoya moving his body to the music as he blew through his flute. The rest of them would sing their sailing songs and clap along, Tanaka sometimes grabbing a reluctant Ennoshita and forcing him to dance. Tsukishima would lurk in the shadows under the quarterdeck, glaring daggers lest anyone should try to pull him along into it.

Most of their journey had been quiet, the breeze pulling their sails along nicely as the waves offered little resistance. Toward evening on the third day, however, Daichi stood alone on the quarterdeck watching as the sun tucked down below the waves. The sky was clear and lovely, casting shades of pink and purple beyond the light wispy clouds as the dark blue night crept in. Still, there was something lurking in the back of Daichi’s mind, a gut feeling that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

He glanced up at the crow’s nest where Hinata was keeping watch. Typically, the crew would always hear him even at that great height, singing his made-up songs or whistling an off key tune. But Hinata was peering into the distance, his face focused and serious as he turned his head to every side to be sure he didn’t miss anything. He had not called out any warning however, so Daichi pulled his eyes away from him and looked back to the endless ocean surrounding them.

“Something wrong, Captain?” He heard Asahi ask beside him.

He did not take his eyes away from the water as he nodded, “It’s strange. There is no sign of rain coming, and I can sense the waters will be calm. And yet… every nerve in my body is telling me a storm is coming.”

“Are you sure? Have your feelings ever been wrong? What could that mean? Maybe you’re sick? Maybe you should lie down and--”

“Asahi,” Daichi said sternly, interrupting the flow of nervous questions from his friend, “Relax, I didn’t say that to freak you out. Just… stay focused. Perhaps stay near the canons, just in case. And keep your sword and pistol on you.”

He glanced at his friend who nodded silently, strands of hair falling out of his ponytail he used to keep his long hair back while he was working. Without another word, Asahi rushed down the steps, grabbing Tanaka and Kageyama on his way to follow him below deck. Daichi descended the steps as well to the main deck, turning at the bottom to walk through his open cabin doors. Tsukishima, Suga and Ennoshita were all crowded around the map table, and looked up as he entered.

“Is something wrong, Captain?” Suga asked as he noticed his grim demeanor.

“I hope it’s my imagination, but I can’t shake the feeling something’s coming. I want you all armed and focused tonight.”

“What do you think is coming?” Tsukishima asked, despite his usual disinterested tone.

“I’m not sure, let’s just be ready in case of--”

“Ship off the larboard bow!” Hinata’s voice called down from amongst the sails. They all charged out of the cabin and up onto the quarterdeck. Daichi lifted his spyglass to his eye and pointed it to the front of the boat and to the left.

Just barely visible was the outline of a ship, like a flickering shadow cutting through the water at an astonishing rate. He tipped glass up slightly until he settled on the flag identifying the vessel, flapping in the wind. His breath caught as saw it was black, three blood red claw marks slashing diagonally across it.

He lowered the spyglass as his heart pounded in his chest, his throat dry as he tried to find the words. “It’s the Nekoma.” Suga gasped next to him, and Daichi jerked his head toward them and nodded to Ennoshita. Ennoshita reacted immediately calling out for the crew to head for battle stations. The bell rang in the air announcing their intention to fight amid the instructions being shouted above and below deck.

Daichi clenched his jaw as he closed his spyglass with a snap. “Captain Kuroo.”

 


	2. A Battle of Crows and Cats

The Nekoma skimmed through the water like a shark approaching a school of fish, and it was hungry. Daichi had little time to come up with a strategy; they had fought pirates before and defeated them, but they were weak and inexperienced. This was the Nekoma, infamous throughout the Caribbean for their tenacity and infallible defense. And then there was its captain, Kuroo Tetsurou. The rumor was his devious grin would curse you for life if you even lived to tell the tale.

To Daichi, however, that was ridiculous. He had never met Captain Kuroo, but he had no respect for pirates and he would be damned before letting the scheming captain get the better of him. The Karasuno was one of the fastest ships ever built, and he would use it to his advantage.

“Should we turn around and flee?” Suga asked next to him as he loaded his pistol.

“No, to turn around would slow us down and they’d catch us for sure. Let’s speed up. Open the masts! Give it all she’s got!” He yelled out to the rest of the crew still on the main deck, and immediately they obeyed. “Yamaguchi, I’ll take the helm. Prepare yourself for battle and get under cover. They’ll at least get one shot at firing their cannons on us, and we need to be ready.”

“Aye, aye!” Yamaguchi yelled, and as Daichi slipped in front of him to grasp the wheel, he could see his hands trembling.

“You’ll be fine, stay focused,” Daichi muttered to him before he ran off, and Yamaguchi paused and gave him a more confident nod.

Daichi furrowed his brows tight as he stared ahead, gripping the helm tight as the Karasuno picked up speed. It began to rock forward and then back as the waves crashed over the bow, sending spray up into the air and sprinkling across the deck. Daichi peered in the darkness as the Nekoma rushed forward, the details of the sinister black ship coming into view. It didn’t seem to be changing course, and at the speeds they were traveling it would soon be on top of them.

“Ready the cannons!” Above the crash of the waves and the roar of the wind he heard his crew yell an affirmative back. Their adversary was now close enough he could hear the shouts from the other ship, voices garbled from the distance but Daichi didn’t need to hear what was said. He clenched his teeth as he whispered an internal prayer as both ships flowed into alignment.

“Fire!”

Deafening booms washed out all other sounds, flashes of explosions followed by pillars of smoke as cannons on both sides tore into both ships. Time seemed to stop when one of the Nekoma’s cannons tore through the lower deck and the Karasuno cannons ceased. Fear paralyzed Daichi that it had taken one of his friends from the Earth, but he heaved a breath when the Karasuno’s cannons fired once more and hoped for the best. If he didn’t stay focused they would all perish. He bolstered all his strength to hold the wheel steady as they moved past the other ship, his crew on the main deck firing off shots at any visible pirate.

Once they were out of range of cannon fire, Daichi yelled out, “Kinoshita! Get below and make sure we’re not taking on any water. If we are, make what repairs you can! This isn’t over yet!”

Kinoshita holstered his pistol and immediately slipped below. Daichi glanced up to see Hinata holding on for dear life in the crow’s nest, looking a little sick. There was another explosion right behind him, wood splinters flying by his head as the force knocked him forward over the wheel.

“They’re coming back around!” Hinata shouted, his face focused behind them.

Another cannon whistled through the air, but this one missed them by a hair and slammed into the rolling water next to them, sending spray up onto the ship like a geyser. Daichi spotted Yamaguchi trying to hold his footing on the soaking wet deck.

“Yamaguchi! Take the helm back!” Yamaguchi nodded as he slipped and scrambled toward him. “Hold it steady!” Daichi yelled as another cannon whizzed past them and into the water. He ran to the side of the ship and leaned out, his hand twisted around a rope. His heart slammed in his chest as he saw the Nekoma skirting around in the water like a cat twisting in midair. They must have dropped the anchor to turn like that, but they’d surely lose time and momentum pulling off a move like that.

“Captain! What’s going on?!” Tanaka’s voice ran out, and Daichi looked back to see his head poking up out of the deck.

“They’re coming back around! How many injured?!”

“Mostly scrapes and burns, but Asahi got skewered by shrapnel. He’s bleeding pretty bad!”

Before Daichi could say anything, Nishinoya holstered his pistol and flew across the deck, slipping right into the hatchway as Tanaka disappeared to avoid getting kicked in the face.

Daichi saw Suga leaning off the side of the ship, his hair and face wet from the spray. His eyes widened as he cried out, “They’re catching up!”

“Shit. We need to lose weight! Toss off anything we don’t need! Tsukishima!”

“I don’t weigh that much,” He responded as Daichi ran down the steps toward the cabin toward him.

Daichi rolled his eyes as he grabbed Tsukishima’s arm and pulled him into his cabin. There was a gaping hole in the wall, but he ignored it as he swiped his hand across the top of his map table and began to shove it out the open doors. Tsukishima followed suit, gripping under the top and heaving it upward. They groaned as they shuffled the hefty table out and toward the side of the ship. The rest of the crew were running back and forth, tossing off anything heavy and without necessary purpose. Ennoshita ran up beside them and helped shove the table over the side.

“Damn it, I loved that table.”

Ennoshita placed a hand on Daichi’s shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “Captain… there was a stain on it.”

“What? Where?”

“It was Nishinoya-san’s fault,” Tsukishima said as he leaned off the side to see behind them.

“He ran into your cabin while I was drinking some tea, bumped into me it spilled on a part of it.”

Daichi felt betrayed as he stared at his boatswain. “Why did I never notice?”

“We always kept a map on that corner, and you never bothered to move it,” Tsukishima admitted as he hurried away to find something else to toss.

“Does it matter now, anyways? You just tossed it in the ocean, Captain!”

Suga ran up to them, his face distraught. “Captain, we’ve picked up some speed, but so have they! They’re coming back up on us!”

“How the hell are they so fast?! Return to your battle stations!” Daichi growled and he drew his pistol. The Nekoma roared up beside them, causing both ships to rock more from the battling waves. Grappling hooks rained onto the deck and scraped along the wood until they gripped on to the side of the ship.

“Cut them loose!” Daichi cried as the ships jerked from being tethered together, the force dropping him to his hands and knees. His pistol slid across the deck, and he lunged for it as shadows passed overhead. Three pirates had swung over from the Nekoma, a couple shouting bloodthirsty war cries as they landed on the deck. Daichi’s hand grasped the handle of his pistol as he shoved his feet under him. He saw Tsukishima, Ennoshita and Suga all engaged with the pirates, their swords clashing in blurs. He glanced to the other ship and saw two more pirates about to leap over. He aimed his pistol for the closest one, a shorter pirate with light auburn hair, and pulled the trigger. The bullet landed just below the pirate’s foot, but with the force and surprise the pirate fell back onto the deck. The other one with surprised looking eyes fell back to cover as a bullet whistled past his ear, shot from above where Hinata was swaying among the sails.

The pirate faced off with Tsukishima continued his yelling as he leapt around the statuesque Navigator. Neither his yelling nor his obnoxious blonde mohawk could distract Tsukishima as with cool precision met every lunge and counterattacked. Suga was struggling a bit more against his worthy opponent, a tall, quiet pirate wearing just a vest over his tanned and muscular torso and a red bandana over his closely shaved head. Luckily Suga was light on his feet, and used his quickness to his advantage as he swerved around the deck. Ennoshita had to step back as a giant of a pirate yelled with glee as he slashed toward him with his flashy moves, his silver hair flowing in the breeze. Ennoshita narrowed his eyes as he observed the wild movements, and finally took his moment as he predicted the pirate’s next move. He swerved out of the way and knocked the sword out of the pirate’s hand. His green eyes widened as he watched Ennoshita bring his sword back to pierce it through him. A shot rang out and knocked Ennoshita’s hat off his head. He ducked back and took cover while the silver haired pirate scrambled for his dropped sword.

Daichi spotted the pirate on the other side who fired on Ennoshita, a slender young pirate with bright blonde hair with dark roots. He hovered over a barrel as he stared through his viewfinder, lining up his next shot aimed at a member of Daichi’s crew. Daichi held his pistol up fired off a shot that exploded through the barrel underneath the young blonde pirate.

He didn’t have time to see if the shot hurt him. Above in the crow’s nest, Hinata fired another shot of his own, the bullet from his rifle tearing through one of the ropes holding the ships together. Both ships rocked from the change in tension, and everyone on board paused in their fighting to find their footing. While Daichi lunged for the side of the ship to hold on, two more pirates sailed over before he could even reload his pistol.

There was another obnoxious war cry, but instead of coming from Mohawk, Tanaka was running up on the main deck with his sword swirling. Kageyama and Narita were right behind him, and chaos erupted between the pirates and Daichi’s crew.

“Ennoshita!” He called as he maneuvered to his boatswain without getting shot.

“Captain?” Ennoshita gasped as he tried to catch his breath, a trickle of blood curling down his face.

“Get downstairs and secure the cargo. Bring the fuse all the way up here so we have time to abandon ship!”

Ennoshita’s sleepy brown eyes widened in shock, but he nodded vigorously and made his way down below deck.

At that moment Daichi felt a chill trickle down his spine, and his feet refused to move any further. He turned his head to gaze through the lingering smoke as a figure began to take shape as it moved across one of the tethered lines. Like a panther stalking its prey, the shadow moved gracefully as he came closer. Daichi’s stomach gripped as he gazed at the tall man, his glorious scarlet coat flowing behind him like bloody wings. His dark eyes glittered in the torchlight underneath his mass of messy, black hair. Daichi’s mouth watered as his eyes careened over the black ornate vest covering the man’s lithe body. The pirate’s head jerked toward him, and as a mischievous grin spread across his face, Daichi felt his insides turn to jelly.

“Holy shit,” Daichi whispered as he whipped his sword from its sheath. His mind whirled as the pirate leapt onto the deck with ease and stalked toward him. He needed to focus on defeating this man, and not wondering what he’d look like with less clothes.

It was as if they were the only two on the ship as they approached each other, ignoring the pistols firing and clashing swords surrounding them. The messy haired pirate raised his sword with a flourish, holding it at the ready as his eyes looked Daichi over.

“The famous Captain Sawamura, I presume,” His sly voice teased. “And here I thought you’d be taller.” They circled each other, their swords swaying in the air as they waited for the other one to make the first move.

“Height isn’t everything,” Daichi retorted. “I make up for it in other ways.”

The other man’s smile spread further. “Well said! Now… let’s see if you can guess who I am?”

“Your coat’s nicer than everyone else’s. Either you’re Captain Kuroo, or you’re kissing his ass.”

Kuroo let out a braying laugh that overpowered the cacophony of noises around them. “The former, fortunately, though I hear good things about my ass!”

Daichi pursed his lips, trying to keep the smirk from his lips. “You really shouldn’t trust everything you hear. Perhaps they were just trying to be nice.”

Kuroo gasped with mock offense as he swayed a little closer to Daichi. “How can you say that, Sawamura? You haven’t even seen my ass yet and you act like it’s nothing special!”

Suddenly, a bullet clipped the shoulder of Kuroo’s coat, and with the distraction Daichi lunged first. Kuroo was too quick though, and brought his sword up to block at just the right moment. Daichi pushed forward, determined to get the upper hand, but Kuroo continued meeting his sword. With each strike Kuroo regained his focus, the smirk never leaving his face as he parried. He continued moving backwards toward the edge of the ship, and Daichi wondered why he wasn’t pushing forward more aggressively. A glint caught his eye just to the right of Kuroo’s ear, and he glanced to see the blonde aiming a shot straight at him. Daichi swerved just in time as the bullet sailed past Kuroo’s arm and burst into his ship’s mast. He kept his footing as he attacked Kuroo once more, keeping his body blocked from view of the pirates shooting from the other boat.

“You’re better than I thought you’d be!” Kuroo called out as he swerved to narrowly miss Daichi’s blade.

“And I actually thought you’d be better!” Daichi retorted as he brought his sword back to block a swipe from Kuroo.

“Oh ho! Just what I’d expect from the Governor’s dog.”

Daichi knew better than to let the words provoke him, however, the slippery pirate seemed to know just what to say. Daichi gritted his teeth and lunged, but Kuroo’s sword caught it and shoved their swords upward. The force brought their chests together, and Kuroo grinned deviously down at Daichi’s face, his hot breath skimming across his cheeks.

“Hmm, seems I struck a nerve,” Kuroo purred. Before Daichi could blink he hooked his foot around Daichi’s and jerked. Daichi dropped backward, his sword clattering out of his hand from the fall. As Daichi reopened his eyes, all he could see was the curved blade of Kuroo’s sword nestled at his throat.

“What’ll it be, Captain Sawamura? Do you surrender? Or do we finish off you and your crew right now?” He gestured his head to the side, and Daichi turned to see most of his crew on their knees, bloodied with their hands on their heads. His heart sunk as the realization of defeat poured over him. Even Hinata had been retrieved from the crow’s nest, trembling with fury as he glared at the pirates hovering over him. All the crew members from below deck had been captured as well, and Daichi’s eyebrows raised when he caught sight of Ennoshita.

Ennoshita caught his gaze, and under the watchful eye of the pirates gave the slightest of nods. His brown eyes glanced to his right, and Daichi’s eyes followed, seeing the end of a fuse just visible in front of the hatchway and curling into it below deck.

Daichi turned his head back to Kuroo, whose head was cocked as he smiled down at him in amusement.

“What’ll it be, Sawamura? Time’s ticking.”

“I choose… neither.” Daichi swung his arm up, a sleeve pistol nestled in his hand and he pointed it straight at Kuroo. Instinctively Kuroo lunged back, enough to give Daichi time to aim instead at the fuse. He fired, and the bullet set off the fuse in a flash of sparks.

Kuroo’s eyes widened, and jerked his head around quickly toward his crew. “Yaku! Get it!”

The short pirate with auburn hair didn’t hesitate to run to the hatchway and drop himself into it with ease. Daichi kicked his foot out and landed it right into Kuroo’s stomach. The crew of the Karasuno took the cue, and everyone moved at once. Hinata leapt to his feet and swerved between the pirates, and as they all jerked to see what was happening, Tanaka barreled into three of them like a rhino.

Daichi shoved his feet under him and grappled for his sword. He blinked at the chaos in front of him and yelled, “Abandon ship!” Knowing how quickly the fuse would burn; they didn’t even have a few minutes before the whole ship exploded. As his sword clashed against another pirate’s sword, he felt the seconds ticking by like an out of control metronome as he and the crew tried to reach the edge of the ship. There was the click of a pistol, and Daichi turned to stare right down the mouth of a barrel.

“I’ll ask you again, Sawamura,” Kuroo said, his tone cold as his eyes bore into Daichi. “Surrender… or death?”

“This whole ship is about to blow!” Daichi seethed. “We need to get off!”

“That doesn’t answer my question, and if you don’t answer in the next several seconds, I’ll choose for you.”

Daichi gulped as his eyes flicked down to the dark metal of Kuroo’s pistol. “Surrender,” He whispered, speaking the word he never thought he would utter.

“Good boy… now drop the sword and your baby pistol.” Daichi obeyed, as did the rest of his crew that had reacquired weapons. Kuroo’s eyes flickered to the hatchway, where they stayed for several moments until an auburn head poked up.

“I got it! Tell Lev and Inuoka to get their asses down here to move the explosives away. Found the treasure, too!”

The catlike grin returned to Kuroo’s face. “Nicely done, Yaku. I knew you’d take care of it.” He turned his head back to Daichi and stepped closer to him. “Well, Captain Sawamura. That was a cute trick you pulled. But I’m afraid it’ll be your last.” He moved the pistol away from Daichi’s face, and brought it back hard across his skull and the whole world went black.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Major NSFW next chapter ;D


	3. To Seduce a Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, it's cold in here... let me turn the heat up to VOLCANIC PROPORTIONS ;D

The crew of the Karasuno moped as they huddled together in the cells of the Nekoma. They were battered and bruised, but tried to remain positive that they were all alive. Nishinoya, however, clenched his jaw as he once again checked over Asahi’s bandaged side, the blood stains turned a muddy brown having long since dried.

“I’m fine, Noya,” He said quietly, but Nishinoya shook his head as his breath shuddered.

“You’re not. We need to get this cleaned better.” His head jerked toward the two pirates that were hanging about lazily outside the cells to keep watch over them. “Can’t you two bring us some fresh water and bandages? My friend could die if his wound gets infected!”

Blonde Mohawk was leaning back on a barrel as he chewed on a piece of straw and shrugged, “Why should I give a shit if he dies?”

Tanaka lunged forward, his hands gripping the grimy bars as he seethed, “What’s that, Pirate boy?! I’m gonna kick your ass!”

Mohawk hopped up and rushed forward as well, his hands holding the bars above Tanaka as he mirrored his face in the attempt to be intimidating. “Oh yeeeeah? How are you gonna do that all locked up?!”

“Shut up, Tora. You’re too noisy,” The smaller pirate complained in his bored tone. He was swaying in a hammock, his eyes nonchalantly counting the little cuts decorating his arms from the fight the night before.

“Didn’t you hear what he said, Kenma? Don’t you have any pride?!”

“I don’t care. He was just trying to rile you up... and it worked.”

“Tch,” Yamamoto replied, but stomped away to plop back down on his barrel.

Suga dropped his eyes from the commotion to stare at the damp wood planks under his outstretched legs. He was worried about Daichi, who had been taken directly to the Captain’s cabin without any explanation. From the way Captain Kuroo’s eyes looked over Daichi’s unconscious form as he was taken away, there was no way his intentions were to simply talk once Daichi woke up. He felt sick thinking the sadistic pirate might harm his best friend, and he hoped he had at least enough honor to not kill him like he promised.

For lack of anything better to do, Suga’s mind wandered back to the fight, wondering if they could have done anything differently. He had faith in all Daichi’s decisions, but maybe it was something else.

“Before we left,” Suga began, and the rest of the crew gave him their attention, “You all left your offering, didn’t you?”

“Tanaka, Nishinoya, Asahi and myself all did. We boarded the boat together.”

“Narita and I did as well, Suga-san,” Kinoshita added.

“So, did we,” piped in Yamaguchi, wincing in pain since half his face was still bruised and swollen from the fight.

“No…” Tsukishima said, and they all turned to look at him. He shoved his glasses further up his nose and sighed, “Hinata, you left your sack at the inn and went back to get it. We all went on without you. Did you forget your offering?” Their eyes all turned to Hinata, who stared up in confusion at the tall blonde next to him. He blinked and then suddenly his eyes widened in horror.

“I forgot to leave my offering!” He shouted, and they all groaned.

“Hinata, you dumbass!” Kageyama growled as he gripped his friend by the collar and shook him around. “It’s _your_ fault we lost the ship and almost got killed!”

“I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“That’s enough!” Tanaka grumbled as he karate chopped Kageyama’s head. “It’s too late now, what’s done is done.”

“But, what’s gonna happen to the Captain?” Hinata asked, his face distraught with guilt.

“Ha!” Yamamoto scoffed, “I wouldn’t wanna trade places with him. Our Captain’s got him tied up in his cabin, and if I know him, he’ll probably test out his new knife set on his face. Or maybe he’ll carve his name on his ass, who knows?”

Kenma scrunched up his nose, “Gross.”

Whether the loud-mouthed pirate was telling the truth or not, it had clearly unsettled the rest of the Karasuno crew, and they exchanged worried looks as they wondered how their brave Captain was faring.

 

Daichi’s head jerked as he woke up with a start, his heart pounding as he tried to process where he was. He tried moving his arms and immediately winced in pain, feeling ropes cut into his wrists behind the chair he was sitting in. His head swiveled as he observed his surroundings, which seemed to be a lavish cabin on board a ship. Right in front of him was a large four poster bed covered in blankets and furs, ornate drapes hanging from the posts. To the right of the bed was a desk looking out a grand window, only the ocean and sky visible beyond.

He heard the sound of glass tinkling and jerked his head to the left. Even without his ostentatious red coat, the tall, slender man with the ridiculous messy hair was unmistakably Captain Kuroo. His back was to Daichi, but as he turned slightly he lifted a glass up to his lips and drank the entire contents in one gulp.  His lips slid off the glass with a satisfied sigh, and his dark eyes flickered over to Daichi.

“Finally awake? So rude, making me wait so long.”

Daichi narrowed his eyes as he cleared his parched throat. “My apologies. Some asshole clocked me over the head with a pistol, so you’d need to take it up with him.”

Kuroo chuckled as he refilled the glass and sauntered over to him. “A peace offering? How about a little drink?”

“No, thank you.”

“Come on, it’ll make you feel better.”

Daichi gazed at the glass and sighed, and a smirk spread across Kuroo’s face. He stroked his long fingers along Daichi’s cheek as he held the glass up to his lips with his other hand, the cold metal of his rings grazing against his skin. The amber liquid flowed past his lips, his tongue prickling as it absorbed the spicy flavor that warmed his throat. It was too much at once for Daichi, and he coughed into the glass, sputtering it everywhere. Kuroo snorted as he removed the glass and dabbed Daichi’s face with a handkerchief.

“Good stuff, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Daichi wheezed, “A tad stronger than I’m used to.”

“You know… I’m really impressed.”

Daichi glanced up and met Kuroo’s pensive gaze. “With what?”

“Our little scuffle on your ship. No one’s ever given me so much trouble in a fight, especially someone who’s not a pirate.”

“You think a pirate has the advantage in a fight?”

“Nah, I wouldn’t say that. It’s just we tend to have a bit more boldness and creativity in our fighting, which gives us an edge. It’s just interesting that you of all people would have those qualities, Mr. Golden Boy of the Caribbean.”

“Well, I’m flattered. Now where’s my crew?”

“They’re locked up down below.”

“Why am I here?”

Kuroo’s fingers slid under his chin, tipping Daichi’s face up toward his own as he bent closer. His heavy-lidded eyes were smoldering, and Daichi’s mind turned fuzzy as he felt himself drown in them.

“Because,” Kuroo purred, his hot breath flowing over Daichi’s lips, “I like to play with my food before I eat it.”

Daichi felt his pulse begin to increase as heat spread across his cheeks. “What do you mean by that?”

Kuroo chuckled darkly as he straightened up. He walked past Daichi to where he couldn’t see him, and the room began to darken as he heard curtains being shut across what he imagined was the cabin doors. In the dimness of the room, the warm candlelight flickered, and everything grew quiet except for the pounding of Daichi’s heart. There were a few moments where Daichi couldn’t hear Kuroo, and no matter how far he turned his head, he could see nothing in his peripheral vision. His breath shuddered as he straightened his sore neck out, staring straight at the comfortable looking bed.

Hot breath suddenly curled on his neck, and Daichi gasped as his shoulders hunched up instinctively. A soft laugh caressed his ear and whispered roughly, “I’m gonna take my time with you, Sawamura. I’m gonna pick you apart until you’re nothing but a panting sack of goo.”

“You’re going to rape me?!” Daichi seethed through his teeth.

The lips left his ear as Kuroo walked in front of him, his warm hand lingering on his shoulder as he massaged it gently. “No way, I’m no rapist. When I have sex, Sawamura, I like the other party to enjoy it.” Kuroo’s other hand slipped up on his other shoulder, mimicking the soothing massage that relieved the tension he was holding onto. Kuroo leaned his long body over Daichi, his legs stepping to the sides of his chair, so he was hovering above Daichi’s thighs. “That’s why, I’m gonna get you to ask me for it.”

Daichi didn’t want to admit how easily caught up in the mood he was. It was as if Kuroo was casting a spell on him, pumping his blood harder and sending it straight to his groin. All thoughts of the man being a pirate and him being his captive were fading quickly as the heat from their bodies began to mix together. Daichi clenched his teeth as he tried to force his focus back.

“You expect _me_ to ask _you_ to have sex.”

“I guarantee it,” Kuroo whispered as his hands slipped away from Daichi’s shoulders and came up to his own chest. Daichi’s eyes flickered down as he watched Kuroo’s nimble fingers undo his vest slowly. He had several ornate rings on that glistened in the flickering light, the largest on his middle finger being a golden cat skull. As his vest came undone, his shirt underneath was already half open, revealing Kuroo’s tan skin underneath. Daichi couldn’t stop his eyes gazing over his chest, immediately noticing old scars littered across his toned muscles.

“Like what you see?” Kuroo’s voice cooed from above.

Daichi was about to retort as he looked up but faltered as Kuroo slipped the vest off his shoulders. Kuroo’s face held no taunting smirk as his own cheeks flushed, his tongue flickering over his lips. Daichi stretched up as far as he could, needing those lips on his own, and Kuroo met him eagerly. They both inhaled as their lips flowed over each other, their mouths opening as their tongues sinfully slicked together. Kuroo slowly dropped his body lower until he was sitting completely on Daichi’s lap, sending pulses of heat bursting through Daichi’s lower half. Kuroo’s fingers raked through Daichi’s hair, both of them moaning and sending delicious vibrations through the sensitive skin of their lips.

Kuroo shuffled his body in closer, rubbing the growing bulge in his pants against Daichi’s as his long legs began wrap tightly around the back of the chair. Daichi’s arms were flexed tight as he tried to pull his arms free, wanting to get his hands all over the man on his lap. His mind whirled as he thought about tearing Kuroo’s shirt off, feeling his stiff nipples under the pads of his fingers. He wanted to do unspeakable things to the man, all his past gentlemanly ways crashing through the windows of his resistance.

Kuroo leaned back, releasing Daichi’s lips as he drew in a deep breath. “Damn, Sawamura,” He whispered, his hands slipping down his shoulders to Daichi’s chest. Kuroo’s eyes locked onto his shirt and he frowned. It was only open to his mid chest, and no threading or buttons to open it up without lifting it over his head.

“You could untie me,” Daichi suggested in a rough voice.

Kuroo’s eyes flickered up to his, and he smirked as he shook his head. “But that would spoil all of my fun.” He clenched his jaw as his fingers tightened on the V shaped opening and gave it a hard yank. Daichi’s shirt tore down the middle, and Kuroo kept jerking on the cloth until it was completely open. Kuroo’s hands immediately slipped onto his bare stomach, rubbing up slowly until they rested on Daichi’s chest. Kuroo gave a low whistle as his hands continued to explore. “With a body like this you really shouldn't hide it.” His warm hands slid up to his shoulders and pushed his shirt back until was bunched up on forearms behind his back. “Mmmm, now these are some strong shoulders,” He teased as he pressed his lips lightly across them, his teeth grazing lightly across his skin. “I’d love for you to drape me across them.”

Daichi snorted, “What, like a swooning damsel?” He shut his eyes as Kuroo’s hot mouth sucked on the crook of his neck.

Kuroo released his skin with a pop and sat back to cock an eyebrow at him. “Would you really heave a woman up onto your shoulders? Wouldn’t you carry her in your arms?”

Daichi shrugged, “I guess it would depend how heavy she was.”

Kuroo burst out laughing, dropping his forehead to Daichi’s shoulder. “And here I thought I had you pegged as a Casanova, charming all the ladies in Seijoh. Have you ever even had a lover?”

Daichi furrowed his brow as his mouth twisted in irritation. “Yes, I have!”

“More than one?” Kuroo teased, leaning back up to wave his grin in Daichi’s face.

“Yes… a couple.” Kuroo began to giggle again as Daichi looked away. “I don’t even want know how many you’ve had.”

“Oh, don’t worry, my Love, not as many as you’d think. I’m actually pretty picky about my lovers.”

Daichi looked back at him curiously. “Really? You don’t sleep with all your captives?”

Kuroo laughed again as he shook his head. “No way, too complicated. But you, Captain Sawamura, I wanted to have you the moment I saw you. I always had the feeling we were destined to meet, and here we are.”

“Destiny? You believe in that?”

“Not often, but it’s difficult to renounce it completely when I feel so drawn to you.” His grinning lips crept back down to Daichi’s chest, traveling across his skin as his flexible back arched like a cat aching to be pet. Daichi sighed as he tipped his head back, his eyes shutting as he relished in Kuroo’s hot mouth triggering his deepest desires. Suddenly the lips left his skin as Kuroo wiggled around on his lap. Daichi opened his eyes as Kuroo lifted his own shirt over his head, exposing his toned stomach and chest decorated with random scars and tattoos. Once Kuroo threw his shirt to the floor, he paused to allow Daichi to get a good look at him.

Some tattoos were typical of a pirate: skulls and crossbones, a ship being devoured by a kraken, a topless mermaid on his side. On his forearm he had three claw marks that mirrored the flag of the Nekoma, and on his bicep was a heart with the name _Miho_ in beautiful script across it.

“Who’s Miho?” Daichi asked, wishing he didn’t have a pang of jealousy over a man he met yesterday.

“Oh,” Kuroo strangely looked bashful, and even through the jealousy Daichi couldn’t help but find it cute. “That’s my mother’s name.”

Daichi snorted, “So you’re a mama’s boy?”

“Most boys are mama’s boys when their dads are assholes.”

“Oh, I see,” Daichi said softly, not wanting to push further on a subject Kuroo didn’t seem keen on. “What do those words mean?”

Kuroo looked down at the intricate script running across his chest, just below his neck. “‘We’re like the blood in our veins. We must flow without stopping. Keep the oxygen moving and your mind working.’ It’s kind of my speech I give the boys when we’re about to fight. It hypes them up. So, you done looking me over? Can we get back to dirtier deeds?” He pressed his lips back against Daichi’s, and though their flow had been interrupted, Kuroo had a way of plunging him right back into his heated tempo. Their bare chests rubbed up against each other, and Daichi leaned as far forward as he could into him. He used his chest and stomach to feel Kuroo’s body since his hands were unable to.

Kuroo rubbed his pelvis forward, and Daichi gasped in his mouth at the mind-blowing friction. Kuroo grinned as he gently grabbed Daichi’s lower lip in his teeth, bringing his pelvis lower and thrusting up once more. He encased his lips over Daichi’s as he began churning around on his lap, stirring up Daichi’s excitement as his pants grew torturously tight. As if Kuroo sensed it, his fingers slipped down his stomach and began undoing the front of Daichi’s pants. His cock sprang free from its confines, and he breathed a sigh of relief into Kuroo’s mouth. He felt Kuroo’s fingers fiddling below, and he glanced down to see him undo the front of his own pants.

He gulped at the sight of them as Kuroo rubbed them together, his hand pumping both as he crashed his lips over Daichi’s.

Daichi’s head was exploding from the feeling. He was telling the truth when he told Kuroo he had lovers before, but those experiences seemed pathetic as he nearly lost his mind in the heart-ravaging sensations. The problem with having such mediocre experiences before was Daichi had no idea how long he would last as Kuroo’s pumping hand seemed to control the fate of his entire world.

Without warning, Kuroo stopped moving his hand, releasing him completely as he slipped off Daichi’s lap. His chest heaved while his heart nearly leapt from his chest.

“What’re you doing?”

Kuroo didn’t answer, but kept his eyes locked on Daichi’s as he wiggled his pants completely off. He paused so Daichi could soak in the sight of his entire body, bare and deliciously perfect as far as Daichi could tell. With a smirk he began to walk away toward the side of the bed, offering him a view of his back as he swayed his hips as he moved. His shoulders were strong and broad, his upper body almost forming a triangle as his back muscles flowed down to a perfect ass (which Daichi was disgruntled to admit to himself). After rummaging in a drawer, he walked back toward Daichi, but instead of settling back on his lap hopped up on the bed opposite of him.

“Kuroo, what are you doing?!” Daichi whined, his cock throbbing as it ached from lack of attention.

Kuroo gave him a grin that showed off his teeth, looking particularly proud of himself as his fingers fondled a little bottle in his hands. “Well, you insinuated earlier you didn’t want to have sex with me, so I’m just honoring your feelings. Like I said, I would never take advantage of another person,” He purred as he held his hand up to his chest, like he was some benefactor to the world.

“Kuroo, stop shitting with me.”

“I’m not, but obviously I’m pretty worked up, so I’m just gonna take care of things right here.”

Daichi’s eyes widened as Kuroo slipped further back on the bed, spreading his legs open wide for him to see. He popped the cork out of the bottle and poured a liquid onto his fingers and replaced the cork and set it aside. After rubbing his fingers together, he reached down with one hand and slipped one of his fingers down to his entrance. He moaned as he wiggled it inside, and Daichi felt ravished with agony as he could do nothing but watch.

As he worked his finger around, his other hand continued pumping his cock slowly to keep it warmed up. Daichi growled, his arms straining to free himself from his bonds. Sweat began to trickle down his face, but there was no freeing himself from his torture. He gulped as he watched Kuroo work in another finger, his head leaning back against the blankets as he gasped from the sensation. His body began to writhe on the bed as he pleasured himself, turned on even more as Daichi’s eyes hungrily devoured him. He snuck one more finger in, and as he curled his fingers in and out of his hole, Daichi shook his head in defeat.

“Kuroo, _please_.”

Kuroo stopped and lifted himself up on his elbows. “Please what?”

Daichi gulped and lifted his face, “Please come back here and have sex with me.”

Out of everything that had happened to him, the last thing he expected was Kuroo’s face to light up like he had given him the best birthday present in the world. He quickly slid off the bed, and with just a couple steps of his long strides was back straddling Daichi’s lap. His fingers wrapped around Daichi’s leaking cock, and he sighed with instant relief as Kuroo pressed their lips together in a passionate kiss. After a couple pumps, he held it steady as he lined himself up. Slowly he lowered himself onto Daichi, his eyes squeezed shut as he was filled with searing heat. Daichi moaned, his mind exploding as he was finally sheathed inside of Kuroo. He nestled his head against Kuroo’s shoulder, breathing deeply so he didn’t instantly orgasm. Kuroo’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, and his heart raced even faster when he felt Kuroo nuzzle his nose and lips into his hair.

“Ready?” Kuroo whispered.

Daichi lifted his head, his lips constantly hovering over Kuroo’s skin as he searched for his lips. He gently pressed them together and then whispered, “Ready.”

Kuroo rocked his hips up and then back down, repeating several times slowly as they continued getting used to the sensations. Each time Kuroo’s ass came down on him, Daichi felt like he was catapulted to a state of nirvana, white light flashing in his mind as he forgot everything else his life was ever about. As Kuroo began to pick up speed, they reluctantly stopped kissing since it was too difficult with the motion. Daichi satisfied himself by trying to kiss and bite every inch of Kuroo’s chest as his rose and fell. Kuroo must have enjoyed it as he leaned in to his lips, moaning louder as his teeth grazed his skin. Daichi felt Kuroo’s fingernails dig into his back and shoulders as he held on for support, and it nearly sent him over the edge.

“God, I wish I could touch you,” Daichi whispered, and suddenly Kuroo clenched his whole body as he came, spilling all over their stomachs. The sight of his face moaning toward the ceiling was enough to send Daichi over the edge as well, and he buried his face into Kuroo’s neck as he released inside of him. As they both came down from their high, Kuroo draped himself over his shoulders and hung limp. It was sweltering having the tall man wrapped around him with their sweaty skin rubbing against each other, but it felt strangely perfect to Daichi as he nuzzled as close to Kuroo as he could.

After a few minutes of quiet, Daichi began to wonder if he had fallen asleep. He raised his head to see if he could glance at Kuroo’s face, but the movement was enough to stir Kuroo. He leaned back and gave a stretch with a satisfied moan.

“Wow… that was amazing.” As he brought his arms down, he nestled on hand against Daichi’s face. “How are you that good at sex when your arms are tied back?”

Daichi smirked as he leaned into his hand. “Perhaps you should try me out sometime when my hands are free? It could be a whole new experience.”

Kuroo blinked at him and then an amazed smile grew on his face. “Sawamura… are you sure you’re not a pirate?”

“Don’t you think you would have heard if I was? Nope, I’m just the Governor’s _dog_ as you so delicately put it. Speaking of which… what happens now, Kuroo?”

Kuroo snorted, “Well, I think I’m gonna stand up since you’re still inside of me, then clean us up because we are nasty.”

He began to stand, and Daichi gasped as he slipped out of Kuroo’s comforting heat. He gulped and shook his head. “No, I meant, what’ll happen to me and my crew. You promised you’d let us live.”

The smile slid off Kuroo’s face, and he nodded as he walked to a table with a vase and bowl. He poured water into the bowl, and grabbing a cloth he soaked it and rung it out. “Well, I can certainly say I’m glad I let you live, and I will make good on my promise. You and your crew will live.” He came back over to him and began wiping his body down with the rag. He was gentle as he ran it across his skin, but his face was serious. His demeanor caused fragments of nervousness to curl in Daichi’s stomach. As soon as he was wiped down, Kuroo gently guided his cock back in his pants and closed it up. He tugged his shirt back up his arms and over his shoulders, trying to cover him as best he could.

“What are you doing?”

Kuroo sighed and walked back to the basin. As he dipped the rag back in the water, he said, “I’m just cleaning us up. Unless you’d like my crew to see us in the state we were in.”

Daichi opened his mouth, but shut it. He figured he was probably gonna be shoved in the cells with his crew. He would be relieved to see them, not to mention he’d probably be untied at last. Yet after the incredible time he just spent with Kuroo, it hurt him a little that he was shoving him away as if it didn’t matter. He was a pirate, though, and Daichi had to remind himself of that.

Kuroo had fully dressed, even slipped on his red coat as he stepped back toward him. His fingers tipped Daichi’s chin up as he kissed him gently, and it tasted terribly of finality. As Kuroo leaned back, his eyes were shut as he savored the lingering effects of the kiss. When his eyes opened, they looked sad as he straightened up.

“No matter what happens, Sawamura, know that you have my respect. And what we shared was… special to me.” Without another word he swept past Daichi and threw back the curtains, and Daichi squinted as the cabin was filled with light. He heard the doors behind him creak open and heard Kuroo call out, “Inuoka! Shibayama! Get in here!” After a moment there was a stampede of footsteps coming closer that stopped once they reached the doors. “Untie him and let him stretch for a bit. Give him some food and anything else he needs. When he’s done, I want you to tie him up on the bed, so he can get some rest. Make sure he’s comfortable, but can’t get loose. Got it?”

“Aye, Captain!” Both young voices said in unison.

“Good, get it done.” Kuroo’s voice said, and his footsteps faded away from Daichi.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, get it Daichi!  
> As always, I love your comments!! You all are so sweet, hearing you're enjoying this lifts my spirits :)


	4. She's gone, but we're still here

The next morning, the crew of the Karasuno was shoved out of their cells and filed up the steps through the hatchway. They squinted in the garish sunlight as they each reached the main deck, prodded to keep moving by several armed Nekoma pirates. They were lined up facing the edge of the boat, where Captain Kuroo stood with his back toward them. When no one said anything, the Karasuno crew members glanced at one another, wondering what was about to happen.

There was a shuffling sound next to them, and they turned to see Captain Sawamura being led by two younger pirates, his hands tied out in front of him. They were excited to see him relatively unharmed, but Suga frowned as he noticed Daichi’s shirt torn down the middle underneath his coat.

“Are you alright?” He whispered as he joined them.

“I’m fine,” He assured him as he held out his hands to have his bonds cut.

It was then that Captain Kuroo finally turned to face them, his face serious as he looked them over. “Well, I’m a man of my word.  Here is where I set you all free, safe and relatively unharmed.”

Daichi peered over Kuroo’s shoulder, finally noticing a small island in the distance.

“Where are we?”

“Just a spit of an island so inconsequential it doesn’t even have a name.”

“And you’re leaving us here?”

A smirk curled up on Kuroo’s face as he walked toward Daichi. His ringed fingers stretched out to stroke his cheek. “Don’t worry, Sawamura. There’s some food to be found on it, and we’ll give you a little water we can spare. I sent a message to your beloved Governor with a _detailed_ map showing where I stuck you. Should he decide your worth saving, we’ll be long gone by the time his men get here.”

Daichi jerked his face away from Kuroo’s fingers, and hurt flashed across Kuroo’s face but was gone in an instant. “What about my ship?” Daichi demanded.

“It’s not your ship anymore, I’m afraid. See, when I captured you, everything that belonged to you became mine. That’s including the Karasuno.”

Daichi’s stomach twisted in agony. He felt like he was going to vomit as he processed what Kuroo was saying. The other man didn’t give him a moment to say anything else as he turned away. “Load them onto the longboat!”

The pirates prodded the Karasuno crew with their pistols and nudged them toward the longboat hovering off the side of the rocking ship. As Daichi was shoved forward, he swerved in front of Kuroo.

“Please, Kuroo… don’t do this. I won’t follow you or turn you in, just don’t take away my ship.”

Kuroo’s dark eyes bore into him as he listened to his pleas. He stretched his hands out and smoothed them over Daichi’s shoulders, giving them a comforting squeeze. He leaned down, his face only a few inches away as he whispered, “I’m sorry.” He gave him a shove and he was caught by Yamamoto, who jostled him into the last seat on the longboat. Immediately it jerked and began to lower toward the water below. Daichi’s gaze lingered on Kuroo as the distance between them grew larger, until finally Kuroo shook his head and walked away, out of his line of sight.

As his crew rowed them toward shore, Daichi watched in horror as both ships sailed away: The Nekoma and the Karasuno.

“Dammit.”

He felt a hand grasp his shoulder, and Suga’s soothing voice in his ear. “It’s going to be ok, Daichi. But we need you right now. We have to concentrate on surviving.”

Daichi sighed and nodded his head. “I know. I just feel like he stole a piece of my soul. In more ways than one.”

“What do you mean?”

 “Nothing.” He turned to look over his crew. They seemed tired and ragged, but not further injured than the fight inflicted. “You all okay?” Most of them gave a brave smile and nodded. “Good. I’m not sure how long it’ll take us to get rescued, but for now all our focus should be on survival. As soon as we reach the island we set up shelter. I assume we don’t even have a knife? I’m not surprised. Well, we can try to use the oars to knock down some bigger branches perhaps. Worse comes to worse we can pull the longboat ashore and prop it up to shield us, though it’ll be snug.”

“That’s alright, Captain!” Nishinoya said cheerfully. “We all don’t mind snuggling.” There were some chuckles, and Tsukishima gazed down at the water as if drowning himself was a better option.

With the pull of the tide and their rowing, it didn’t take long for their boat to pull up onto the white sandy beach.

“Yay! Dry land!” Hinata cheered as he hopped out of the boat into the shallow water, splashing half the crew still in the boat.

“Hinata, you--!” Kageyama began, but Suga laid a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“Hinata, don’t wander too far!” He called after the blur of orange as he ran about the beach, kicking sand up into the air.

“Can we leave him here if we get rescued?” Tsukishima asked, and Yamaguchi snickered beside him.

“No,” Daichi answered curtly as his eyes careened over the island. It was tiny with a little crop of trees right in the center. He hoped Kuroo was right and there was some fruit on the trees at least. His eyes flickered up to the sky, a calming blue with a few smatterings of white puffy clouds.

“Daichi?” Suga called, and he looked back down to see most of the crew had already exited the boat and was wandering up on the beach while Suga and Ennoshita waited behind for him.

“Sorry, just got lost in my thoughts.” He accepted Ennoshita’s hand as he hopped out of the boat himself. Together they tugged on the boat to bring it up on the shore a bit further. They stuck one of the oars into the sand and roped the boat to it, so the tide wouldn’t bring it back out to sea.

“Alright, gather up!” Daichi yelled, and though some of the crew were far off, every single one came scrambling back to him as if his firm voice had a tether to it. “First thing’s first, we need to build a shelter before night falls. Tanaka, Tsukishima, Kinoshita and Kageyama, start collecting and knocking down as many thick branches first. Kinoshita is the expert, so you take charge of what you’ll need. It’s going to rain later so it needs to be sturdy.” They all simultaneously peered up at the crystal blue sky. Daichi ignored them as he continued. “Narita, you’ll oversee collecting food. Hinata, Nishinoya, Suga and Yamaguchi will go with him, and _stay together_. Do you hear me, Hinata? No running off.”

“Aye, aye, Captain!” Hinata yelled, slapping his forehead with a messy salute.

“Asahi, how are you feeling?”

“Fine, the Nekoma’s doctor took me out of the cells and patched me up a bit better.”

“He shouldn’t do anything strenuous,” Nishinoya warned, glaring up at his sheepish friend.

“That’s fine. Gather up some wood and bring it back here to the beach. It’ll be good if it’s slightly damp.”

“Why would that be good?” Ennoshita asked.

“That way it smokes if we can start a fire. Hopefully someone is coming for us, and it’ll make it easier for them to find us. Ennoshita, while he’s doing that let’s figure out a way to collect water. We don’t know how long we’ll be here, so it’s best to be prepared. You all have your orders? Get to it!”

“Aye!” They yelled as they rushed off to their duties.          

 

They kept themselves busy all over the island, performing their duties as if they were still on board their beloved ship. The sun was beginning to shift toward the rolling ocean waters, casting the sky in a pale yellow-orange as they settled around a fire and cooked some clams Hinata had gathered in a shallow cove. It had been easier for Daichi to push aside all his heartbroken feelings of losing his ship while he had been busy, but as he listened to the water lapping up on the beach and the quiet chatter of his crew the sinking feeling in his stomach crept back in.

Flashes of Kuroo sprung in his mind like a nagging poltergeist; his messy hair tickling his face, the heat from his tattooed skin rubbing up against his own, his wet mouth devouring him all over. He still couldn’t believe he allowed himself to be seduced so easily by a pirate, and to have that pirate leave him to die and take away the one possession he cared about in the world was unbearable. He didn’t have long to feel sorry for himself, however, as a shadow fell across him.

“Nishinoya? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Captain. I’ve checked over the entire crew to make sure they’re all cleaned up and bandaged… except you.”

“Oh, that’s fine, I don’t need to be checked over,” He said nonchalantly, waving his hand dismissively.

Nishinoya smirked down at him, and though he was the smallest man on the crew, he looked rather intimidating as he leered over Daichi.

“I thought you’d say that, that’s why I brought assistance.”

“Huh?!” Daichi yelped as two sets of firm hands grabbed each of his arms. To his right, Kageyama glanced at him and pursed his lips.

“Sorry, Captain.”

“Don’t be sorry, Kageyama!” Tanaka’s excited voice said in his left ear. “The Captain never worries about his own health, so we gotta look out for him!”

“No, no, no, really! I’m not injured at all!” Daichi grumbled as he squirmed in their arms, his heart picking up speed as he panicked.

Nishinoya narrowed his eyes down at him. “You’re definitely hiding something. Hold him steady!”

“This is mutiny!” Daichi cried, and Suga laughed as he peeked around Nishinoya who had knelt in front of him.

“Relax, Daichi, you always put on a strong face. We’re doing this cuz we care about you!”

“I can hardly believe that,” Daichi muttered. He flinched as Nishinoya began opening his coat and shirt. “Can’t you tell I’m fine? There’s no need for--”

“What are these bruises?” He asked, moving his face closer to inspect along his shoulder and neck.

“Nothing! Bug bites! Nothing to worry about, please Nishinoya.”

Suga also crept forward, inspecting the bruises for himself. “I thought you said he didn’t hurt you, Daichi.”

“He didn’t, it’s _nothing_.”

Suga gasped, throwing his hand over his mouth as his eyes locked onto Daichi’s. “Are those… _love bites?!”_

Nishinoya dropped his shirt and coat and jerked back. Tanaka and Kageyama yelped as they lurched away from him, their eyes wide with surprise.

“It’s not contagious, you idiots!” Daichi snarled, but was grateful to have his arms free as he covered his front and cross his arms in front of him grumpily.

Suga placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently as he pursed his lips. “Daichi, you can talk to us. Did he force himself on you?”

Daichi groaned loudly and turned his face away, scowling darkly at the glittering ocean waves. “No.”

He kept his eyes on the ocean, not wanting to see the smile that was inevitably curling onto Suga’s face. “So, it was consensual?” His voice was low, and on the verge of a giggle.

Daichi clenched his teeth. “Mhmm,” He affirmed as simply as possible.

“Sooooo… should I check your ass?” Nishinoya suggested, and the older members of the crew snorted into their hands as they tried to control themselves.

It was as if the world around Daichi had grown colder, his mood calling the darker forces of hell in his ire. “That won’t be necessary. My ass had no part of it.”

“Ah, so that’s how it was. Hmm, I didn’t expect that,” Nishinoya nodded thoughtfully, disregarding any atmospheric warnings to his personal safety. “Should I check your dick then? He was a pirate, who knows what he’s carrying. You’re not itchy, are you?”

“That’s enough!” Daichi snarled, lurching forward to grab his ship’s doctor with the intention of beating the shit out of him. Nishinoya hopped out of the way as Tanaka grabbed Daichi’s waist, and Kageyama wrapped himself around his leg.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve been so stupid!” Suga yelled, interrupting the wrestling match that Tanaka and Kageyama were close to losing.

“What is it, Suga?” Asahi asked quickly, who had been growing nervous as he counted the warning sides that Daichi’s anger was about to explode like a volcano.

“That’s why he’s not interested in Miss Michimiya! She’s not your _type_! I should have known,” He said, shaking his head at the white sand underneath his feet. “Why didn’t you tell me you liked men?”

“I didn’t realize until yesterday,” Daichi grumbled, trying to shake his captors off his limbs. Kageyama gripped on tighter as he was nearly kicked off with the Captain’s impressive leg strength.

“How could you not realize? You’re around men all the time!”

“Perhaps,” Tsukishima interrupted, staring into the fire with a smirk curling up his cheek, “It’s not just men the Captain likes. He likes the bad boys.”

“Tsukishima, you little bastard.”

“But Captain, he’s not little. He’s a lot bigger than you are!” Hinata reminded him cheerfully, and Yamaguchi gripped his arms and pulled him as far away from the Captain as he could before his friend was murdered.

“Hmm, he’s got a point. Maybe you do like bad boys,” Suga mused.

Daichi sighed heavily and let his body fall limp. “Can we _please_ stop talking about it? That _bad boy_ stole my ship and left us here to die. I’d rather not think about him anymore.” The rest of the crew at last had the decency to look a little guilty.

“Sorry, Daichi. I guess we got carried away,” Suga said, waving Nishinoya away.

“Thank you… can you get these idiots off me?”

As Tanaka and Kageyama released the Captain, as a rumble of thunder formed in the distance. The sky was darkening at a quick rate, and crackles of lightening flickered through the thick mass of clouds.

“Here’s the storm, let’s get in our shelters. Hop to it!”

“Aye!” They all yelled as they gathered their few belongings and scurried into their makeshift shelters and huddled together. It was difficult to sleep as the rain ravaged the branches and leaves surrounding them, but Kinoshita was an expert shipwright and had the skills to build almost anything, so their shelters protected them the entire night.

They remained on the island for another two days, developing routines of finding food and setting fires along the beach to send smoke pillaring up to the sky. Daichi was beginning to grow nervous when on the third day he heard Hinata cheer from the top of a coconut tree.

“Captain! There’s a ship on the horizon! I think it’s coming for us!”

“Everyone! Add more wood to the fire!” They all scrambled with their arms full of branches and leaves as they built onto the fire closest to where Hinata saw the ship incoming. They all cheered as the ship drew closer, and Daichi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the grand ship was the Aoba Johsai, commanded by Commodore Iwaizumi himself.

“Well, I guess we’re worth something to the Governor after all,” He said to Suga, who was grinning from ear to ear.

“Of course, we are! He hires us to do jobs his precious Navy boys can’t do themselves.”

Daichi chuckled, “I wouldn’t say that around any of them. They are our saviors, after all.”

The small island was a lovely little oasis in the middle of the barren sea, but the crew of the Karasuno was more than happy to leave it as they climbed up the side of the Aoba Johsai from the longboats that fetched them. As the ship shoved off, Commodore Iwaizumi had given them fresh clothes and food as he took Daichi aside.

“I’m sorry about your ship, Captain. We thought if anyone could get the gold to Miyagi without being intercepted by pirates, it was you.”

“I’ve been thinking about that Commodore. We took many precautions to avoid pirates, and no one knew of our cargo except a few of us. Not even my own crew knew of it until it was loaded onto the ship. You may want to investigate to make sure you don’t have a leak.”

The dark eyebrows above Iwaizumi’s eyes furrowed, “That would explain a lot. This wouldn’t be the first time something has been slipped from the Governor’s office. I wonder which officers were on guard that day.”

“It was a tall one with pointy hair, and then a quieter one with his hair parted down the middle. I don’t think it was them though. My money is on the servant who was cleaning up while I was there.”

“Nekomata? He’s deaf.”

“Have you any proof of that?”

Iwaizumi clicked his tongue. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before. I’ll have him arrested as soon as we get back.”

“Or you could test the theory.”

“What do you mean?”

Daichi shrugged, “Leak false information. If it gets back to the Nekoma, you may actually be able to trap them.”

Iwaizumi’s eyes widened as he looked Daichi over. “That’s a good idea… quite crafty even. You spent a while with those pirates, didn’t you?”

Daichi rolled his eyes. “It was less than two days, but longer than I’d care for. It’s simply killing two birds with one stone, or two pirates you could say.”

Iwaizumi nodded as he gazed off the side of the ship, watching the ocean flow past them as they sailed forward. Daichi frowned as he glanced around them and then back up at the sky.

“Commodore? Where are we heading?”

“First to Miyagi, we need to check in with Lady Yachi and let her know what happened. I assume the letter the Governor gave you was lost?” Daichi nodded. “Well, he gave me a new draft to give to her instead. This time he _promised_ large wealth instead of handing it over to her by ship.”

“Safer that way I’m sure. I’m glad we’re heading there first, I may be able to hear if anyone has information on the whereabouts of the Karasuno.”

Iwaizumi looked at him in surprise. “We’re not going after your ship. After Miyagi I’ve been instructed to take you straight back to the Governor.”

“What?! What good am I to the Governor without my ship?”

“He’s been investing in a brand-new ship the past several years, faster than any other before it. It’ll be owned by him, but it’s ready to sail and he wants you to command it.”

“I’m flattered, but it’s not the same.”

“I’m sorry, Captain, but my orders are clear, as are yours.” He was about to walk away when he paused. He placed his hand on Daichi’s shoulder and leaned in closer. “You need to let her go. The Karasuno is gone for good.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes, I didn't think I'd get this chapter done so fast! As always pleasant comments are appreciated :D Thank you!!


	5. You Always Have a Choice

It did not take long for the Aoba Johsai to sail into Miyagi. As the ship anchored further out, Iwaizumi allowed Daichi and his crew to take a longboat to shore ahead of them to meet with Lady Yachi. They were unnaturally quiet as they wandered through the town toward Lady Yachi’s plantation home at the top of the hill. Daichi had told them what their orders were, and their feelings matched his. It was nerve wracking to be forced to return without their beloved ship, and it seemed that there was nothing they could do about it.

They trudged up the path to the front door, and Daichi’s eyes traveled over the impressive home of his youth. It had been a while since he’d been home, and his heart sank even further knowing it was under his present circumstances. He clenched his jaw and knocked proudly, feigning confidence for himself as much as his crew. The door creaked open to reveal a butler, proud and broad shouldered under his uniform.

“Can I help—Oh,” He said as his dark eyes laid on Daichi. He furrowed his brows as he looked him over. “We expected you nearly a week ago. Did something happen?”

Daichi nodded. “We were attacked by pirates. They marooned us on an island and took everything… including the Karasuno.”

The butler’s eyebrows went up in surprise, and released a slow shuddering breath with a shake of his head. He reached out his hand and slid his fingers into Daichi’s hair. He wrapped his other hand around him in a small hug.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” He whispered in his ear.

Daichi shut his eyes and briefly touched his forehead to the butler’s chest. “Thank you, Father.”

The man’s eyes traveled quickly over the group of them. He released Daichi and waved them in. “Come on, all of you. Ukai-San is in the drawing room, you can wait with him while I announce you to Lady Yachi. Wipe your feet.”

Daichi led the way into room where he spotted figure of Ukai silhouetted against the window. A tendril of smoke curled into the air in front of him as he reached back to scratch the back of his blonde hair with the polished hook that had replaced his lost hand. He turned toward them as they shuffled in through the archway. “What the hell happened to you lot?”

Daichi wandered further in and stopped to gaze at the fire crackling under a large portrait. “We were attacked by the Nekoma, Ukai-san… He took the Karasuno.”

Ukai’s face darkened, a low growl curling in his throat. “Kuroo, huh? Crafty bastard, he certainly is Nekomata’s protege.”

“Nekomata?”

“Yeah, he was the captain of the Nekoma before he left it to Kuroo. Him and the old man would chase each other all over the Caribbean trying to outsmart each other in their youth, but that was long before you and I joined the ship.”

“Yeah? Well, I think I know where I’ve heard that name before. He’s acting like a deaf servant in the Governor’s office. It was him who told Kuroo about the cargo I was carrying I’m sure.”

Ukai burst out laughing and shook his head. “That old fox, of course he would! Well, I’m sorry about your ship, I know how much you loved her.”

Daichi gulped and nodded, “Yeah… I do.”

Ukai glanced over the rest of the crew as they moped in various settees and armchairs. “Come on, you all lived! Nobody lost a hand, did they?” He smirked as they all sheepishly shook their heads. “Whew, never heard you all so quiet, it’s unnerving.”

There was a thunder of footsteps from outside the room, and they all turned to see Lady Yachi swerve into the doorway. She misjudged how fast she was going and slammed her small body into the door jam.

“Ow, ow, owwww,” She whined as she grasped her arm.

“Lady Yachi!” They all cried as they rushed toward her.

She flinched at the onslaught of large sailors and held her arms up in front of her. “Ahh! I’m fine, I’m fine! Please sit back down, Sawamura-san told me you were attacked by pirates! Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

Yamaguchi came up beside her, a smile on his face as he tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry about us, Lady Yachi, we’re fine!”

She turned to say something and screeched when she noticed Yamaguchi’s still bruised face. “Yamaguchi-kun! Your face!!”

“You’re not helping, Yamaguchi.”

“Sorry, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi answered as he backed away slowly as he slapped his palms on his face to block it.

Daichi sighed and waved his crew away from the nervous Lady looking around frantically at her friends. “Lady Yachi, you don’t have to worry about us. We’re a hardy bunch, and though it looks bad, we’re fine.” With Daichi’s calm voice and his hand softly ruffling her blonde hair, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m so relieved! But, what are you going to do about your ship?”

“I was wondering that myself,” Ukai added from across the room.

Pain shot through Daichi’s chest as he was reminded yet again of his beloved ship. “Well, we have our orders from the Governor to return and take charge of a new ship. He will not give us leave to retrieve the Karasuno.”

“What?! But it wasn’t destroyed, why can’t you go get her?” Yachi cried, her eyes filling with sympathetic tears.

Ukai sighed and shook his head. “Because the Governor’s already invested a lot in the voyage and lost a great deal of money. He wouldn’t put up any more money for Daichi to retrieve a ship with holes in it. Still, I’m surprised you’re just going along with it.”

“I don’t have any choice.”

“Ha! You’ve always got a choice. You’re not even one of his Navy boys, you only work for him.”

Daichi blinked at him as he thought about what he was suggesting, and little itch began sneaking up his spine. It was as if his life of playing by the rules and behaving as the “good boy” was a basin of clear water, and Ukai’s words were a drop of black paint plunking into the water and spreading its dark tendrils through the pure liquid.

“Instead of returning to Port Seijoh with Commodore Iwaizumi… go after the Karasuno myself?” His voice was just above a whisper, but his entire crew leaned forward with their eyes wide, their mouths watering at the new possibility.

“You wouldn’t be by yourself, Captain!” Tanaka shouted, leaping onto his feet. “We are the crew of the Karasuno! She’s as much a part of us as anyone!”

“That’s right!” Nishinoya shouted, leaping into the air with a cheer. Ennoshita rushed forward and wrapped his arms around the bouncing doctor to keep him from breaking anything in the vicinity.

“This would be considered treason, would it not, Captain?” Tsukishima suggested wryly.

Asahi stood up and began pacing. “Um, would it be treason? I don’t think Ukai-san was suggesting _that_ , are there any other options? Preferably ones where we won’t be killed. OUCH!” He rubbed his head after Suga’s hand came down hard on it.

“That’s enough, you big baby! It’s not as if Oikawa is the _King_ , he’s the Governor of _one_ port… and in charge of others, but still! Where’s your spirit? What about the Karasuno? Are we just gonna let the dirty pirates get their hands all over her?”

Daichi held a hand up to quiet his crew. “My decision is made. The Karasuno is _my_ ship and always will be. I’m going to take her back.” There was an uproar of cheers, but he whistled to quiet them down again. “With that said, I will gladly accept help, but I will not condemn any of you for rejoining the Commodore. He respects all your skills and I’m sure he will find good work for you elsewhere. So, I freely give you all a choice, and I know it won’t be an easy one. The problem is we have little time. The Commodore could be joining us here any minute.”

“I’m with you Captain!” Both Hinata and Kageyama yelled excitedly as they stood up straight, and then both glared at each other.

“I said it first!” Hinata yelled.

“You did not, stupid!” Kageyama retorted.

One by one each member of the crew stood up proudly, offering Daichi their services in the quest to retrieve their ship. Soon he was surrounded by all his friends, except one. Tsukishima remained seated as he looked around at them like they were all crazy.

“Tsukishima, you little bastard,” Tanaka stomped over to him, but was yanked back by Ennoshita.

“It’s his choice, and the Captain honors it, Baldy.”

“But, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi began, visibly distraught that his friend was not standing beside him.

Tsukishima shook his head as he pushed his glasses up further on his nose. “I don’t think it would work. If you can even find the Karasuno, to take her back will take cunning, money and ammunitions. You’ll all probably die,” He sighed and stood up, “Unless I come too.”

“Tsukishimaaaaaa!” Hinata cheered as he ran into the tall navigator, wrapping his arms around his slender waist as Tsukishima tried to escape the outburst of unusual affection. There was no escaping, however, as the rest of the crew ran forward and patted his back, ruffled his hair, and tried to pick up his lanky frame.

“He’s right about some things, though,” Ukai’s voice warned from behind them. They all released Tsukishima and turned toward him. “You’re gonna need money, guns, and information. Unfortunately, I’ve got none to loan you.”

“What can we do, Ukai-san?” Daichi asked urgently, desperate to begin his quest.

Ukai scowled as he thought, rubbing the side of his face with his brass hook. “Well, if I were you I would head to Johzenji to gather information. If Kuroo sold your ship, that would be his first stop.”

“Johzenji!” Yachi gasped, wobbling on her feet at the very thought. “That’s a wild, dangerous place! They’ll be killed for sure!”

“Don’t worry, Lady Yachi!” Tanaka boasted as he stuck his chest out. “We can handle any ruffians we might find there!”

“Alright, that’s our first stop. Money and guns?”

“I’ve got money!” Lady Yachi suggested, her face brightening up with excitement.

“My Lady, I can’t take your money,” Daichi cried.

She shook her head, her blonde hair flitting back and forth. “Nonsense, think of it as a loan!”

“There are ammunitions locked away in the cellar,” A firm voice said behind them from the doorway. Lady Yachi’s butler stood there, and regardless of the suggestion, his face was set with a seriousness that typically preluded a fatherly lecture. “You really mean to do this, Daichi? Disobey the Governor’s orders and run off to a pirate infested island?”

Daichi stepped forward, his face set with the same determination to mirror his father’s face. “Yes, Father. My decision is made.”

His father sighed heavily and shook his head. “I didn’t raise you to be such a reckless person. I don’t approve of this, but Lord knows there’s no way of stopping you once you get your mind set. You should leave as soon as possible before your mother returns. This is going to destroy her nerves.” He reached his hand out and gave his shoulder a squeeze, then turned to Yachi. “My Lady, should I let them ransack our collection of ammunitions?”

“Yes! And let’s give them enough money that they’ll be able to survive until they get their ship.”

“Of course, My Lady,” He cast one last firm eye to Daichi, “Which _will_ be returned to her with interest?”

Daichi gulped and nodded, “Yes, Sir!”

 

Not two hours later, the crew of the Karasuno had fled to the other end of the island with packs full of supplies, guns, and just enough money for them to get to Johzenji. Daichi had flagged down a fishing boat and paid their passage to the debaucherous island he never would have believed would be his destination. They set sail immediately, keeping an eye on the horizon to see if Commodore Iwaizumi was already on their trail, but as the island of Miyagi faded in the distance, no other ships crept into view.

Daichi stood at the front of the ship, smiling as he heard his crew laughing with the fisherman as they swapped tales and songs. The odds were still against him, but a new sense of freedom had risen in his chest, like a flightless bird suddenly growing wings for the first time, stretching from his back with wild shimmering colors.

He slipped his hand down to his belt and pulled out an ornate knife. The handle was inlaid with gold and engraved designs. Amongst the grooves were the shapes of crows in flight, painted with a glossy black.

_“My Lady, I cannot take this! This was your father’s own knife. It’s an heirloom.”_

_Lady Yachi shook her head vigorously, “Daichi-san, you’ve always been like an older brother to me, as your own parents have nearly been my own. Sawamura-san would chastise me for referring to servants in such a way, but it’s the truth! Please, take this knife as protection, and come back safely!”_

Daichi shook his head as he slipped the cold, sharp steel back into its sheath at his side. As he gazed out at the rolling waves reflecting the radiant warmth of the setting sun, his thoughts crept back to the rogue who had spurred him onto this wayward path. His instinct should be to take the knife in his belt and stab the thieving pirate for taking away his ship and leaving him for dead, but no such murderous instinct found its way into Daichi. Besides that, the knife was given to him for protection, not murder, and to use it as such would land a curse on him and the crew. His eyes drifted upward into the sky, where the first stars were beginning to form. No, he didn’t want to kill Kuroo Tetsurou. He smiled wider as he pictured instead shoving his fist through his pretty face, and maybe knocking out a few teeth.

 

As Daichi stared up at the sky with his spirits raised, despite his dire circumstances, Kuroo Tetsurou was gazing up at the same stars in a solemn silence. His hands lazily grasped the wooden knobs of the helm as he held it steady, sighing dramatically as he leaned forward against it without removing his eyes from the stars glittering above. His crew lounged about the main deck, a few playing cards on a barrel while Kenma plucked his ukulele as he straddled the side of the ship, one of his legs dangling off the edge. They all paused slightly as they could hear Kuroo sigh loudly yet again from up on the quarterdeck.

“Ahhhh, I can’t take this!” Yaku growled as he slammed his cards face down. “We beat the Karasuno, found the gold, sold their ship and made a great profit on it, and yet he’s over there moping like somebody died! Kenma, can’t you do something?”

“He’s usually the one to cheer me up, I’m no good at it,” He said with a shrug.

“Dammit, some friend you are!”

Kenma turned his amber eyes toward the auburn-haired pirate. “Why don’t you say something, then?”

“I’ve tried, my methods aren’t working.”

“I can’t imagine why not,” Kai muttered with a smirk, picturing how often the shorter pirate had kicked every single one of them in the ass.

Inuoka cocked his head, “Yaku-san, why is the Captain so down? I’ve never seen him like this.”

“I don’t know what his deal is, he’s been like this since we marooned the Karasuno crew.”

“I think that’s it, perhaps he feels guilty,” Kai suggested, and a few of them laughed.

“Guilty? Kuroo would never feel guilty about that, we gotta do what we gotta do to survive. He taught us that!”

Kai leaned back as he glanced over at their forlorn captain. “Didn’t you see how tender he was with their captain? I bet something happened between them.”

Yaku groaned and dropped his face into his palms. “Nekomata told him never to fall for an enemy or sleep with a captive. You get weird feelings!”

“Perhaps we should talk to him.”

Yaku looked up from his hands, his eyebrows furrowed as he thought. “Well, we’re about to hit up a wealthy merchant ship, that should perk him up, right? If he’s still mopey after that we’ll have to intervene.”

They all nodded in agreement and continued with their game, rolling their eyes as another sigh drifted toward them. Their target was a ship sailing toward the coast of Edo Island, a large island rich with plantation owners and their help, but not enough inhabitants to warrant the protection of the King. The wealthy nobility chose their dwellings to be huddled together in the center of the island with impenetrable walls surrounding them, leaving their beaches relatively open. It made it difficult for merchants to bring trade to the island, but the payout was too great for them not to try. Unfortunately for the ship on its way to Edo, Kuroo and his crew were on their trail and gaining on them through the warm, blue waters.

As they drew in toward the coast, Kuroo straightened his back and sharpened his eyes. It was no time for him to be feeling guilt or lovesick when the time of attack grew near. The crew picked up on the atmosphere and began to ready their weapons. Suddenly Shibayama’s frantic voice came down from the crow’s nest.

“Black smoke in the sky, Captain! There’s a faint glow from around the corner, could be fires!”

“Shit, sounds like someone got here first,” Kuroo growled as he adjusted the help. They slowed the ship so they could creep around the cliffs blocking their way without being immediately noticeable. As they drew past them, Kuroo left the helm to Fukunaga as he snapped his spyglass open.

He drew it up to his eye and peered through the dark. Sure enough the merchant ship was already sinking into the depths, the only parts of the ship still above water were aglow with scattered fires eating away at the hull. His spyglass veered around until it spotted another ship anchored a short distance from the beach. A growl grew in his throat as he caught sight of the black flag billowing in the wind, two round, golden eyes with blood red pupils peering back at him with a triangular shape below depicting a beak.

“Damn that owl bastard.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious about the flags check out my tumblr (username stacysmash)! It's not up yet but I'll post a sketch of both the Nekoma and Fukurodani flags so you can see what they look like... just don't expect it to be good drawings, lol.


	6. The truth can hurt... and it can heal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW Warning!! :D

Kuroo left the Nekoma with Kai as they anchored on the other side of the cliffs. He took a longboat with a few of his crew and rowed along the calm waters toward the campfires on the beach. Drunken songs and laughter floated toward them, disturbing the peace of the calm night air. When they were spotted, the Fukurodani pirates cheered and waved them over without any worry of a fight. Kuroo snorted and shook his head as he made his way through the giggling owls toward their fearless leader sitting by the fire and singing louder than anyone.

“Kurooooooooo! Woo hooooo! What’re you doing here?!” Bokuto Koutarou hopped off his log and catapulted towards him, picking him up with his deadly hug. Kuroo sputtered as the long feather in Bokuto’s hat tickled his face.

“I surrender, please put me down,” He wheezed, and with a laugh Bokuto set him down. Bokuto danced back to his log and motioned for him to join him on a well-placed rock beside him. “Seriously, what _are_ you doing here? You’re like a creepy ghost coming out of nowhere!”

Kuroo rolled his eyes, “We came to take on that ship sinking behind us. You beat us to the punch.”

Bokuto gave him a sheepish smile, “Sorry! How about some consolation rum?” He held out a frosted glass bottle, the amber colored liquid swirling around inside.

Kuroo eyed it and sighed, reaching out to take the bottle. As he worked the cork out of the mouth, Bokuto held up his own bottle and they clinked them together and guzzled the spicy liquid down. Kuroo licked his lips as his gaze got lost in the hypnotizing firelight crackling in front of him.

“Wow, I didn’t think it would depress you that much? What’s eating you?” Bokuto asked, leaning forward as he narrowed his eyes at his friend.

“Nah, it’s nothing.”

“Yeah, I don’t believe that for a second. Spill it!” He yelled the last part as a cheer with his bottle in the air, only to bring it back down to his mouth for another gulp.

Kuroo chuckled and shook his head. “Well, did you hear we took on the Karasuno and won?”

“Yeah! Well done, that Sawamura is a crafty bastard. Trying to find him was like looking for a fish in the ocean!”

“It’s not that hard to find fish.”

“I mean a specific fish.”

“Whatever. So, did you know Sawamura is devastatingly handsome? No one ever mentioned that! He’s got like these soft brown eyes, broad shoulders, stomach muscles I just wanna run my tongue over--”

“Whoa, whoa, hold on. You saw all that? Did you sleep with him?”

Kuroo pursed his lips and nodded. “Yeah, I did… Bokuto it was the best. He’s _really_ good.”

Bokuto laughed, “So, what’s got you so down? You took the Karasuno, you _took_ her captain. Sounds like a good time!”

“Yeah well, I’m bummed I’ll probably never see him again, I really liked him. The look he gave me when I forced him onto the island was heart wrenching.”

Bokuto’s eyes widened, “You left him on an island?”

“Yeah, him and his crew.”

“And his ship?”

Kuroo shrugged, “I took it and sold it to some lowlife’s on Johzenji.”

Bokuto bent over, succumbing to even heavier laughter. “Dude, he’s gonna _kill_ you!”

“What? Nah, we had a lovely moment together, he wouldn’t kill me.”

Bokuto wiped the tears from his eyes, “A lovely moment, _before_ you left him on an island to die and sold his ship! That was so rotten, I can’t believe you did that.”

“What would you have done?”

Bokuto shrugged, “Normally I may have left them on a more inhabited island with people who could help him out, but if he gave me the greatest sex of my life I probably would have stripped the ship of all weapons and ammunitions and let him have his ship back. What’s he gonna do? Follow you around and yell expletives from his boat?”

Kuroo’s mouth hung open as he weighed the other possibilities. “You wouldn’t have sold the ship for a profit?”

“How much cash did you get otherwise?”

“A ton, a part of Governor Oikawa’s fortune was on that ship.”

“So, you already had a huge payoff and decided to take his ship on top of it. Wow… that’s so low. When he gets off that island, he’s definitely gonna kill you. I should say _if_ he gets off, he could be dying right now of starvation or dehydration.”

Kuroo shook his head, “No way, I sent a message to the Governor letting him know where I left his pet, he’ll fetch him.”

“Are you sure? He’s just a hired guy, not part of his own navy. And you took his ship, so he’s just a regular guy.”

Kuroo stared at the ground, beginning to doubt all his decisions and suddenly terrified that Sawamura could be dying. He stood up and straightened his coat. “I have to go back. I need to make sure he’s okay.

“Wait, remember that part about him killing you?”

“Would he still kill me if I rescued him?”

“Maybe, but are you willing to take that chance?”

“Yes, I have to!”

“Wow! Well, I’m impressed with your sudden selflessness, especially with how you treated him. But don’t worry, I got a plan where we can make sure he’s safe and you don’t have to endanger yourself.”

Kuroo sat down and leaned forward. “You do?! What is it?”

“I go instead, pick him and his crew up and make sure they’re safe. I’ll take good care of him,” He said slyly as he leaned back with a smirk.

Kuroo narrowed his eyes at his friend. “What do you mean by that? What are you up to?”

Bokuto shrugged, “Me and my men will go to the island and rescue the crew of the Karasuno. And with my manly good looks and irresistible charm, I’m sure Captain Sawamura will be _very_ grateful. I wonder how he’ll show me this _gratitude._ ” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down, his grin showing off a couple golden teeth among his regular ones.

“Bokuto, you bastard! You keep your filthy hands off my man!”

“ _Your_ man?! You left him on an island and stole his ship!”

“It doesn’t matter, I still got dibs.”

“Bokuto-san,” A soft voice interrupted. They turned to see Akaashi standing on the other side of the fire. His green eyes glinted in the firelight as he frowned at the two of them. He was wearing a jade green yukata over his slender body, complimenting the golden hoop dangling from his ear. “You’re both being too noisy, what’s wrong?”

“Akaashi, hear me out. So, Kuroo captured Captain Sawamura, fucked him, left him and his crew to die on an island while he sold his ship. Does he still have dibs on him if I wanna go have a taste of the captain myself?”

Akaashi twerked his mouth to the side and said nothing for a few moments. After thinking it over he shook his head. “He relinquished his rights when he left him on the island. I say he’s free game.”

Bokuto cheered while Kuroo groaned miserably. Akaashi moved closer and sat on the log next to Bokuto.

“Kuroo-san, I take it Captain Sawamura is a handsome man?”

“He’s _so_ handsome.”

“I see… perhaps I’d be more his type?”

“What?!”

“Oh, come on, Akaashi! You can’t just butt into my blossoming romance like that!”

“Fine, I will take a turn after you, unless…”

“Unless?”

“Perhaps he’d like us both… at the same time?”

Bokuto laughed obnoxiously as Kuroo stared at him in shock. Akaashi slipped Bokuto’s rum bottle from his hands and took a sip for himself.

“I hate you both.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of him. What are you gonna do in the meantime?”

“I don’t know, I think I’ll go back to Johzenji and lay low for a while. That way I’ll hear of any fresh meat coming our way, hopefully before you beat me to it.”

“Ah, don’t worry about me. Akaashi and I will be too busy having hot, sweaty sex with Sawamura.”

Kuroo growled and lunged at his friend, knocking him off the log. Akaashi had leaned away at just the right moment, remaining unharmed on the log and sipping the rum while Kuroo and Bokuto wrestled on the sand behind him.

 

The wind had begun to howl as it whipped through Port Seijoh, sending a warning that a storm was coming in quick. Iwaizumi held onto his hat as he fought his way up the path toward Governor Oikawa’s manor. It was late when he arrived, but the servants admitted him without question. There was a heavy silence in the air as he ascended the stairs, and when he finally entered the waiting room to Oikawa’s office, he could see the guard’s nervousness as they stood at attention. He glanced at the door to the office which was closed shut, which was usually only when Oikawa was meeting with someone.

“Is someone in there with him?” He asked Kindaichi.

“No, Commodore. He hasn’t come out since he received your message, and we haven’t heard anything.”

Iwaizumi’s scowl darkened, “When did he receive my message?”

“This morning, sir.”

Iwaizumi sighed, “Alright, you two are dismissed.”

“Sir?” Kunimi asked hesitantly.

“I’ll watch over him tonight. You are dismissed.”

Kindaichi and Kunimi gave each other a surprised look, but nodded and gave Iwaizumi a perfect salute before leaving the room and the manor house.

Iwaizumi waited until they were gone before knocking softly on the door.

“I thought I said I didn’t want to be disturbed,” Oikawa’s irritated voice snapped.

“Not even by me?” Iwaizumi answered back calmly, and not a minute later the door swung open. Though Oikawa looked relieved to see Iwaizumi, his face was pinched from the from the stress of recent events.

“Iwa-chan, I’m glad your back.” He stepped aside to let Iwaizumi enter the room and shut it behind him. Oikawa rubbed his face as he began walking back toward his desk. “Were you able to find Captain Sawamura and his crew?”

“No, I did not pursue them. I decided to come straight back here.”

Oikawa stopped and turned toward his friend, his face frozen with shock. “You didn’t even try? He disobeyed an order!”

Iwaizumi removed his hat and ran his hand through his thick, spiked hair. “I know he did, I just felt like we had more things to worry about than a Captain who simply wanted his own ship back.”

“I was gonna give him an even better ship to command! It’s much faster than that second-hand ship he had that’s already suffered through an attack with cannon fire!”

Iwaizumi sighed and walked past him, heading toward the window to gaze at the oncoming storm. In the distance he could see bolts of lightning flickering across the sky and crashing down to strike the restless waves underneath.

“Have you really forgotten what it feels like? Has it been so long for you, Oikawa?”

“What are you talking about?”

A soft smile crept on Iwaizumi’s face as he stared through the window pane, no longer staring at the storm but drifting back into their past that had grown dusty from being ignored. “Do you remember our days on the Kitagawa Daiichi? We were so young and inexperienced, but we did everything to try to prove ourselves to the Captain. The ship was our life back then, and if there was a threat against her we would have risked our lives.” He glanced over his shoulder. Oikawa was watching him, his face more relaxed as the anger had faded away. “Can you really blame Sawamura for going after her?”

Oikawa’s mouth twisted in annoyance as he joined Iwaizumi at the window, leaning his shoulder against the wall. “No, I don’t blame him. It doesn’t make me less angry, though. I feel like I’m losing control, Iwa-chan, and it needs to stop.”

“What control have you lost?”

“Everything! Pirates are everywhere, Captain Sawamura went rogue, and I can’t even manage a betrothal to Lady Yachi!”

Iwaizumi’s stomach gripped at the reminder, and he clenched his jaw as he scowled at him. “Are you still going through with that?” He asked in a low voice, bordering on a growl.

Oikawa’s eyes flickered to Iwaizumi, the soft swirls of brown reflecting a deeper sadness beyond. “It was suggested by the King to take more control of the area. You know it means nothing to me.”

“And you think it means nothing to me? You haven’t even spoken to me about it, just moving forward as if you were planning a party and not a _marriage._ If you took Lady Yachi on as a wife, what would I even be to you? Just your fucking Commodore?”

“No!” Oikawa gasped, reaching out to grip Iwaizumi’s arm. “You and I will be the same as always, no one would ever replace you, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi shook his hand away, and Oikawa flinched back. “The same?! I will not be your _mistress_ , Shittykawa. If you take on a wife, that’s it! She’ll be your wife, and you’ll have babies with her and rule the Caribbean… and I’ll leave.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened with fear, hardly breathing as his breath caught in his throat. “Iwa-chan, you don’t mean that, do you?”

“Of course I do! If we would have talked about it before I would have told you then, before you made multiple attempts to ask Lady Yachi to marry you. I can’t stay by your side and watch you marry someone else, it’s too hard--” His voice broke, and he turned away from Oikawa to pace the room and gain control over his emotions. He stopped in front of the long, curved desk as he forced his breath in and out. The pressure in the room increased as the storm began to pick up, blowing hard against the side of the manor. There was a flash of lightning from outside the window, disrupting the gentle glow of the flickering candlelight.

Iwaizumi was so focused on gaining control of himself, he did not hear Oikawa move closer. He flinched in surprise as Oikawa wrapped his long arms around him, his warm hands slinking across his chest and pulling him tight against him. He closed his eyes as he felt Oikawa’s breath tickle through his hair, his mouth pressing lightly as it traveled down to his ear.

“Iwa-chan,” He whispered, sending goosebumps down his spine. “I won’t marry her, I promise. I would never choose anyone over you.”

Iwaizumi opened his eyes and turned his face toward Oikawa’s voice. “But the King suggested it. Are you going to disobey?”

Oikawa nuzzled his cheek, letting his lips graze temptingly over his flushed skin. “It was a suggestion, not an order. He can’t command me to marry anyone. I’ll figure out another way to kiss his ass.”

Iwaizumi smirked as he reached up to grip Oikawa’s hand still rubbing his chest. “I better not hear of you kissing anyone else’s ass.”

Oikawa giggled, “Don’t worry, Iwa-chan. I belong to you… _nothing_ will change that.”

“Dammit,” Iwaizumi growled as he turned in Oikawa’s arms. He reached up and grabbed his irritatingly handsome face and brought it down to his, moving their lips together with tenacious vigor. Their hands moved in a blur as they began jerking their clothing off each other, chuckles vibrating through their lips as a couple buttons burst and clattered to the floor.

Oikawa’s heart was bursting with desire. It had been too long since they had been together, and the tension had been building to the point of bursting. He had been ignoring the warning signs of his frustration, the testiness with his men, the throbbing headaches, the frigid loneliness of his cold bed.

As their moans grew louder, and their clothes fell to the ground, Oikawa gasped and released Iwaizumi’s lips. “What about the guards? They can probably hear everything.”

Iwaizumi smirked as he gripped Oikawa’s waistband, his fingers undoing the front and sliding them under the fabric. Oikawa shivered as his Iwaizumi’s rough fingertips slid along his hot skin. “It’s okay, I dismissed them already. It’s just you and me.”

Oikawa’s eyebrows flew up. “Iwa-chan! Did you plan on seducing me tonight?” He giggled.

Iwaizumi huffed out a laugh. “No, that wasn’t my plan, though I don’t mind it going this way. I just wanted to be alone with you.” Under Iwaizumi’s smoldering gaze, Oikawa felt his face heat up. Iwaizumi took a step closer and began to guide Oikawa backwards until his back hit his desk. “Oikawa,” He whispered as he kissed him lightly, his hands slinking around his waist until they were tracing his butt cheeks. “I’m holding back right now, but it’s been so long. Is it okay if I’m a little more aggressive?”

He never admitted it to Iwaizumi, but him using his powerful strength during sex was his favorite thing. “Sure, I don’t mind,” He replied, his voice wavering as he tried to contain his excitement. Iwaizumi whirled him around and bent him over the desk. He held Oikawa down firmly, but it didn’t hurt Oikawa. He was amazed that even with his forcefulness, Iwaizumi was extremely careful with him.

Iwaizumi’s breath shuddered behind him as he pulled his pants all the way down to his ankles. He lingered down by the floor as he pulled Oikawa’s shoes off and then his pants, leaving him completely bare against the hard wood. As he came up, his hands stroked all the way up his calves, thighs, butt and spine. Iwaizumi’s hands planted on each side of his face and he leaned into him, his breath grazing over his ear.

“Do you mind?” He asked hoarsely as he slipped his hand up to Oikawa’s mouth. Oikawa hummed as he enveloped a couple fingers into his mouth, making sure to run his tongue around them to make Iwaizumi squirm. When he heard a growl rumble into his back, he smirked and released his finger with a pop. Immediately Iwaizumi took his fingers and found his entrance, circling as he worked his first finger in. Once he began stretching him out from the inside, Iwaizumi leaned forward and bit down onto Oikawa’s pale shoulder.

Iwaizumi was always confident in his own body, keeping it fit and healthy to perform his duties to maximum capacity. But Oikawa’s body to him was a work of art. He was athletic as well, but leaner, his skin smooth and pale like milk. It made him want to mark every bit of him as his teeth grazed over his shoulder and his lips sucked down on his neck.

Oikawa felt his heart racing as his fingers raked against the smooth wood underneath him. Iwaizumi was shorter than him, but it didn’t feel like it as he felt him all over his body. His hot mouth was sending his mind into a frenzy, the tight grip of his fingers pumped his blood even harder through his veins. The harsh and sweet stretching from inside caused his legs to shake underneath him.

“Iwa-chan,” He whispered desperately, “Hurry.”

“I’m getting there,” His hot breath reminded him as it blew across his back. Just the feeling of it made him even harder.

“No, now,” He whined.

“It’ll hurt.”

“I don’t care. I want you _now_.”

He heard a slight huff behind him, and Iwaizumi’s fingers slid out of him. Oikawa bit his lip and gripped onto the desk, but startled when Iwaizumi’s hands grazed the tops of his own. In his ear he heard Iwaizumi’s hoarse voice, “Not this way, I want to see your face.”

“Oh, God,” He whispered just before his body was lifted upright and turned around. Iwaizumi lifted him easily and sat him up on the desk. Oikawa stretched his body out, his eyes warm and hooded as he gazed back at Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi licked his lips and gripped onto his thighs, lining himself up he began to slide in. The howling wind and crackling thunder from outside couldn’t drown out their moans as they joined together. Oikawa squeezed his eyes shut, feeling every bit of Iwaizumi’s heat bursting inside of him, the sensation teetering between perfection and overstimulation. As their breaths shuddered and Iwaizumi began to move, the pleasure tipped the scale toward perfection. He opened his eyes and glanced down, where he had a titillating view of Iwaizumi’s flexing torso revealed between his open shirt and coat as he moved his hips back and forth. His eyes were squeezed shut, and Oikawa could tell he was struggling to hold back.

Oikawa smirked and jerked his legs free from Iwaizumi’s hold. He wrapped them quickly around Iwaizumi’s waist and pulled him in tighter before his lover even knew what happened.

“Wha-?”

“You’re taking too long, Iwa-chan,” He purred. “I know we both want this harder.”

“Shit,” Iwaizumi whispered and leaned forward, digging his fingers into Oikawa’s waist and snapping his hips forcefully into Oikawa. He grinned as Oikawa threw his head back with a cry; he knew it was from more pleasure than pain. His hips continued thrusting back and forth as sweat began to trickle down his face. His eyes flickered over Oikawa’s beautiful body laid out in front of him like a feast. He leaned forward and ran his tongue up his stomach, and he chuckled when Oikawa squealed and writhed underneath him.

“That was dirty, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa gasped.

“I know better than to fight fair with you,” He teased, letting his nose nuzzle up to his chest as he continued forcing his hips back and forth. He sighed as he felt Oikawa’s slender fingers threading through his scalp and wrapping around strands of his hair. Feeling the encouragement from the grip of his fingers, he continued running his tongue over Oikawa’s salty skin.

As much as Iwaizumi was in love with Oikawa, he would be the first to admit he could be a bit two faced. When he had him panting with desperation underneath him, however, he quivered with delight at knowing Oikawa was being completely honest with him. His sweet moans were filling the air around him as he continued teasing and thrusting, and he felt his excitement escalate every time he heard his voice cry out. He knew he was getting close, so he straightened up, one hand pressed against Oikawa’s stomach while his other hand grasped around his leaking cock. As he began to pump, Oikawa reached his hands back to grip the edge of the desk to hold on. His legs held on tighter around Iwaizumi’s waist as he increased the tempo one last time. Oikawa’s body jerked as he released into his hand, a desperate whine escaping his parted lips. Feeling Oikawa clench around him helped Iwaizumi’s release, and he continued snapping his hips into him until he was completely spent.

Iwaizumi leaned his weight into his hands as they were planted firmly on the desk, breathing heavily as his heart rate slowed. Oikawa’s legs released his hips and dangled them on either side of him. He slid out of him slowly, wincing as the cool air washed over him. Oikawa groaned as he lifted himself up to a sitting position and lazily draped his arms around Iwaizumi’s shoulders. He pressed their lips together gently, and when they parted he whispered, “I love you, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi shut his eyes and with a smile began kissing Oikawa all over his face. “I love you, too… Idiotkawa.” He chuckled as Oikawa gasped, though he knew he wasn’t offended. “Now, will you please stop trying to marry other people?”

Oikawa giggled as he nuzzled into Iwaizumi’s sweaty neck, “I promise.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS... I think Akaashi would look super hot in that outfit. Who am I kidding, all the characters would look hot in their piratey clothes ;P


	7. A Diamond in the Rough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This started out being the hardest chapter to write yet... and it is probably my favorite chapter so far. I hope you enjoy it! :D  
> There is a reference to Ougiminami Koko, which was the school Karasuno went up against in the Spring High Preliminaries that were kind of delinquent. Here's a refresher: http://haikyuu.wikia.com/wiki/Ougiminami_High

As Daichi and the rest of his crew stepped off the fishing boat onto the island of Johzenji, they stared open mouthed at the instant chaos surrounding them. From the beaches all the way through the town people were running, leaping, dancing, laughing and singing, and sometimes all at once. Suga gasped and covered Hinata’s eyes as several people ran by naked as the day they were born with several red blotches marring their butt cheeks in the suspicious shape of a handprint.

“So… this is Johzenji. I expected this, but it’s very different actually seeing it,” Daichi mused as he gaped around him.

“This place is awesome!” Tanaka cheered, giving a toothy grin at a couple women waving flirtatiously nearby.

Ennoshita gave him a little shove.  “This wouldn’t be the best place to start a romance, Tanaka. You’ll definitely pick up a disease or two here.”

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad, Chikara!” Nishinoya said as he gave Ennoshita a little jab with. his elbow.

Tsukishima smirked from behind them, “Nishinoya-San, aren’t _you_ our doctor?”

Daichi cast a glance at some of his more rambunctious crew members. “Okay, here’s the deal. We need to remain inconspicuous while here and not cause any trouble. So, I will bring Suga and Ennoshita with me, the rest you stay here.”

There was a chorus of groans around him, but they all stopped abruptly when he shot them a terrifying scowl.

“Aye, aye, Captain,” they each stuttered in scattered voices.

“Kinoshita, Narita, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi, I’m relying on you four to keep the rest in line.”

“What about me, Daichi?” Asahi, surprised he was put in a category with the unruly bunch.

Daichi smirked up at the tall, bearded man, “I imagine this place will terrify you. Plus, Nishinoya can walk all over you if he wanted to.”

“That’s not true.”

Nishinoya came up beside him and patted his back with vigor, “Yes, it is, Asahi-San! But it’ll be okay!”

Asahi smiled sheepishly and ran a hand along the back of his long, brown locks. “Oh, if you say so, Noya.”

“Whhhaaaaaa?! That guy’s breathing fire!” Hinata cried as he jumped in the air. “I wonder if I could try it!” He nearly ran off when Tsukishima caught him by the collar.

“Captain, I cannot guarantee how long it will take me before I’m too tempted to let Hinata put a firestick in his mouth. I advise you to hurry.”

 

“So, do you have a plan?” Suga asked as they shuffled close together throughout the raucous town.

“Well, I figured we’d hit up the local tavern first. It’s usually the best place to get news.”

It wasn’t hard to find the tavern since it seemed the crowds naturally flowed to and from it. It was a large stone building with a couple gaping holes in its facade as if it had taken on cannon fire, though it was some ways up from the beach and in the middle of the town. There was loud music and laughter coming from within, and Daichi turned to smile at his companions.

“See? It doesn’t sound so bad!” At that moment the window of the tavern shattered as a man burst through it. He landed hard on the ground but bounced right back up onto his feet.

“Fire! I’m on fire!” He yelled as he flailed his arms against his flameless body, weaving around until he ran smack into a lamppost and fell unconsciously onto the ground. No one else around them paid the scene any attention.

Ennoshita winced, “You were saying, Captain?”

Daichi simply shrugged and gave his protege a hardy pat on the arm as he turned to head into the tavern. It was a large, bright space, all the tables and chairs scattered haphazardly throughout, some patrons even sitting at an upside-down table in the corner and setting their drinks on the bottoms of the legs. The bar counter was long and curved, with several bartenders either filling glasses or hopping up onto the counter to dance to the music being played. There were stirrings of a bar fight to the side, so Daichi and the others rushed forward before they were caught up in it. They found a spot in front of what seemed to be the main bartender in the center, or at least he was the most attention grabbing. His undercut was bright blonde on top, and the golden studs covering his ears glittered in the torchlight. His shirt had no sleeves, offering everyone a good view of his sculpted arms that flexed as he twirled his bottles in the air for entertainment before setting them down onto the counter without spilling a drop.

“Wow,” Daichi grinned at him, “That was impressive.”

The man’s eyes lit up as they flickered over the three of them. “Thank you! I’m a very gifted individual, stay long enough and I’ll show you how gifted I can be.” He gave Daichi a wink and leaned forward onto the counter. “I’m Terushima Yuji! I’ve never seen you boys around here, before. What can I do for you?”

“We were hoping we could get some information.”

Terushima cocked an eyebrow, “Oh? What kind of information are you looking for?”

“Has the Nekoma come into port to sell a ship recently?”

The smile on Terushima’s lips curled even higher, and his eyes narrowed as they looked Daichi over again with renewed interest. “Hmmm, that’s an interesting question, Handsome, but it’s gonna cost you.”

Daichi’s eyebrows furrowed, but he nodded. “How much?”

“It’s not money I want. I’d give you this kind of info for a kiss.”

Daichi flinched, a swirl of bile curling at the base of his throat. “A kiss? From me?”

Terushima chuckled and shrugged. “Honestly, any one of you will do. I’m not too picky on types, as long as you’re good looking.”

Daichi purse his lips and leaned back, slowly turning around to discuss the situation with his companions. They all glanced at one another with uncertainty.

“Um, shouldn’t it be you, Captain?” Suga suggested quietly while scratching the back of his head.

“What? Why me?” Daichi hissed back.

“We’ve already established you like men, I don’t. Especially bad boys, he’s right down your alley!”

“He is not! And it’s been too soon for me, my tender heart’s been through enough. What about Ennoshita?”

“Why me?!” Ennoshita whispered back, his arms crossed tightly in front of him.

“Why not? Couldn’t you do it?”

“Jeesh, you’re all acting like this is the worst thing!” Terushima whined behind Daichi’s back. “I’m a great kisser!”

Daichi sighed, “He’s right, we’re acting very immaturely about this… Janken pon?”

With a nod they all held their hands in the center in a fist and in unison muttered, “Janken pon!” Daichi and Suga had their hands in scissors while Ennoshita’s hand was paper. Daichi and Suga breathed a sigh of relief while Ennoshita groaned and hung his head. Terushima’s grin spread wider as he shuffled nervously forward, Daichi and Suga stepping out of the way trying not to snicker.

Terushima’s hand reached out and curled his fingers around Ennoshita’s coat lapel and pulled him closer until he was leaning over the counter. Ennoshita gulped as Terushima licked his lips.

“I was hoping it would be you, Sleepy Eyes.” He tugged again on his coat, pulling him into a smoldering, open mouthed kiss. Ennoshita gave a squeal as Terushima’s tongue slid into his mouth, ravaging him from the inside. Daichi felt a little bad seeing that Terushima had no intention of ending the kiss quickly as he began to climb up on the counter and curl his arms around Ennoshita’s shoulders without breaking their contact. There were a few wolf whistles around the tavern, and a few laughing that the bartender had found himself a new man. However, nothing surprised Daichi and Suga more than when Ennoshita had closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss, gripping his hands into Terushima’s waist and making the blonde shiver.

“With a kiss like that I hope he tells us everything he knows,” Daichi muttered to Suga, who nodded as they watched in astonishment.

At last Terushima released the flush-faced Ennoshita, both of their chests heaving as they caught their breath.

“Woooo, Sleepy Eyes! You know if you make me hard on my shift, you have to take responsibility!” Terushima teased as he ran a hand through Ennoshita’s hair.

Ennoshita flinched and instinctively glanced his eyes downward, causing Terushima to nearly fall over with laughter. “I can’t believe you looked! Oh god, I just wanna tease you to death. Please tell me you’re sticking around here.”

“Maybe,” Daichi interrupted in irritation, “but first you promised us some information. And for all that it better be good.”

Terushima smirked at Daichi as he slinked his body back to his own side of the counter. “Alright, Mr. Sourpuss. The Nekoma came in a few days ago and left already. But first, they did sell a ship to a local band who’ve been in the market for a ship for a while now.”

“Who are they?! Did they leave already?” Daichi asked, his heart racing in his chest.

“It was a group who call themselves the Ougiminami Koko, led by a brute of a man named Towada Yoshiki. After purchasing the ship from Captain Kuroo they sailed her to the other end of the island to make repairs, since it seemed to be in bad shape. I’m not sure if they’re still there, but if she is you can bet they won’t be for long.”

Daichi straightened up and nodded to Terushima. “Thank you for this. Hopefully we’ll come back another time and can stay a bit longer.”

Terushima brightened and smirked at Ennoshita, “I’d like that.”

Ennoshita pursed his lips even as they curled up slightly at the ends. Suga had to grab his arm and pull him away to chase after Daichi. They veered their way quickly through the town, ducking to miss glass bottles whizzing through the air and swerving to avoid a few sailors having a dancing competition in the middle of the path. Suga’s hand remained on Ennoshita’s arm since he was still lagging behind, and he glanced behind him to see his friend looking a little dazed.

“So… was it a good kiss?”

Ennoshita blinked as his eyes focused on Suga’s amused smile. “Uhhhh, yeah. It was a good kiss.”

Suga snorted, “Haven’t you ever been kissed before? You’re acting like it’s your first time!”

Ennoshita’s cheeks reddened, “No, I’ve been kissed before! A couple times, but with those girls it was always so… polite and simple. That was… wild. He had--” He stopped as he bit his lip, turning his eyes away from Suga in a sudden fit of embarrassment.

“Go on! He had what?” Suga urged, unable to contain his curiosity.

“His tongue was pierced. He had a stud in it, and it was…” He gulped, and the tiniest little smile perked on his lips. “It felt really good.”

Suga snorted and shook his head. At that point he was able to let go of Ennoshita, who had regained his composure and quickened his step next to him. Suga was amazed at the little changes that had been springing up within the crew of the Karasuno. They had all known each other for years, all of them growing up on Miyagi and around the ships always floating at the docks. Despite all the years and experiences together, Suga was beginning to feel like there were hidden parts to each of his friends that was just now being revealed. It was as if their hardships and disobeying orders had unlocked a new realm of possibilities for everyone. While some of it was entertaining, Suga was worried some of the changes might not be for the best.

As soon as they reached the beach where they had left their crew, Daichi rounded them up and led them all to the other side of the island where they could spy on their ship and the brigands who bought her. They slid through a cluster of palm trees swaying in the breeze near the docks and peeked around the slender trunks. Daichi gasped as his stomach gripped at the sight of his beloved ship, still afloat in the water. He almost felt like crying, since he had believed only a couple days ago that he would never see her again.

She seemed to be in good condition, most of the holes patched up, though Kinoshita sneered at the shoddy craftsmanship. There seemed to be very little crew on board, and none hovering around the docks, and Daichi licked his lips as his mind fought through his emotions to try to come up with a plan. They definitely didn’t have enough money to buy her back, and though they had all gained some roguish behavior were not about to kill the men who bought her. But the desperation inside of Daichi knew there was no way he would let her sail away from him again; he would sooner die.

Their thoughts were disturbed when they saw a man shuffling down the path toward the Karasuno.  He was carrying paints and supplies, grumbling to himself about the time of night when all he wanted was to relax at the tavern. Daichi rushed out of the trees and called out to the man.

“Good evening, Sir. Can I ask what you’re doing?”

“I was hired to repaint the crow on that ship sitting there, and I gotta do it quick since they’re leaving at dawn. They wanted something less sinister but had little money to pay for it so it’s gonna be a dove or something, we’ll see when I’m done.”

Daichi’s heart beat fast as his eyes flickered to the figurehead, and he could practically hear it crying out to him in desperation. “Ah, how much are they paying you?”

“Twenty gold coins… pathetic if you ask me for a rush job at night when I can hardly see--”

“How about I pay you double to just walk away?”

The man cocked a bushy eyebrow at Daichi and took a moment to look him over. He huffed a laugh and shook his head. “Sounds good to me! That’s the best deal I had in a while!”

After Daichi paid the man his gold, he wandered back up the path chuckling as he sang off key on his way to his relaxing drink. Daichi wandered back to the trees where Suga looked at him like he was crazy.

“You gave him forty coins to just walk away from a ship that isn’t ours?!”

“She is ours, we just have to figure out a way to get her. It’s not like we had enough money to simply buy her back.”

“But, Captain?” Asahi asked as he hugged his palm, which did little to hide his big stature. “We aren’t going to fight the pirates for her, are we?”

“I hope not, but we need to come up with something. They’re set to leave at dawn, and I’m not going to let them if I can help it.”

“Let’s just surprise them and tie them up!” Tanaka suggested, his face bright and his muscles vibrating with a thirst for action.

Ennoshita sighed, “That’s an open invitation for a bloodbath. We need to be smart about this.”

“Ennoshita’s right, we need more brain than brawn at this point.” Tanaka, Nishinoya, and Hinata all groaned, and Kageyama stared off in the distance as if he lost all sense of identity.

“Captain, I think I have an idea,” Tsukishima said, bringing all eyes to him. He crossed his arms and shook his head. “It’s going to be difficult, but I think we can manage it. We’ll need some supplies, and every single one of us need to play our parts perfectly. To make this plan work, we’re going to need everyone’s individual skills.” All their mouths dropped open in amazement. Tsukishima was never one to point out anyone else’s abilities, though occasionally he sent an encouraging word to his childhood friend, Yamaguchi.

“I’m all ears, Tsukishima. I trust you,” Daichi said, his eyes glittering with excitement.

 

Towada Yoshiki growled in his throat as he and his crew trudged down the path toward the docks. They were weighed down with sacks and barrels of supplies for their voyage, wherever they were going to go. He was the Captain, and he had the responsibility of leading the men to success as they raided ships and pillaged ports. He had promised their old leader, the infallibly positive Akki-chan, that he would fight to the end to become the most notorious pirates in the Caribbean. That was a tall order, however, with how many genius pirates sailed the waters already, and his personal motivation was considerably lacking.

His empty stomach groaned, joining the chorus of bodily grumblings behind him.

“When are we gonna eat, Captain?”

“Can’t we take a break, I’m starving!”

“I’m tired… I’m not sure if I wanna eat or sleep more.”

“How the hell can you sleep on an empty stomach?!”

“I dunno… it’s happened.”

“Shut up, you idiots!” Towada growled, jerking his head to send them all a chill inducing glare. “We’re almost back to the ship, we’ll eat when we get there.”

“But we don’t know how to cook anything!”

“We should have eaten at the tavern.”

“Shhhh, don’t second guess the Captain!”

“We’ll figure something out, just shut up! We’re nearly there.”

As they drew nearer to the docks, cheerful music and singing greeted them, as well as an delicious smell drifting in the air. They all froze as their mouths instantly began to water, and their heads jerked back and forth to find the source of the heavenly aroma. Near the docks was a group of sailors, a few sitting around a makeshift table playing a rowdy game of cards while a few others were singing and playing instruments as they cooked fish over a campfire. It wasn’t just the smell of cooked fish, however. The man making it obviously knew what he was doing, pouring a juicy mixture of lemon and garlic over the fish as he turned them on the spit to be sure they wouldn’t overcook.

“Oh Captain, can we see if they have any extra? Please?”

“Yeah, it smells so good!”

Towada glanced at his men to see drool sneaking down their chin, their eyes sparkling as they gazed at the scene. He glanced at all their supplies wearily, knowing how long it would take them to unload everything onto the ship.

“Alright, let’s set this stuff over here and check it out.”

“Yay!” They cheered and quickly set everything down. As they drew near the crowd of sailors, none of them seemed bothered by their presence. They were greeted cheerfully, and Towada smirked since most of them seemed dead drunk. His eyes flickered from the stacks of untouched fish on a plate to a couple bosomey women sitting on one of the card players’ lap. One of them giggled as she ran her hand over the man’s bald head.

“Oh, Tanaka-kun, you are so good at cards! How did you get so good?”

The man leaned his head back and let out a cocky laugh. “Oh, sweet Kiki-chan, some men play cards with their rules and intelligence, but I’ll tell you, my beautiful,” He leaned in toward her ear, sending her body into shivers, “It’s all instinct for me.”

Towada glared at the lucky man as both girls giggled more and ran their fingers over his chest. Towada agreed with him to a certain extent, he never liked playing with his brain either, but this man grated on his nerves with his attitude. A flame of defiance ignited in his chest, and he wandered a little closer to the game while his crew eagerly joined the music and food.

A man seated next to the baldy had almost no presence in comparison to his companion, quietly rearranging the cards in his hands. He glanced up at his approach and offered him a polite, though sleepy looking, smile.

“Welcome! Are you interested in trying out a hand?”

Towada was hesitant for a moment, running his hand through his slicked back hair. He glanced at the other two players, one with fluffy brown hair who looked frantically through his cards, and the other glaring so hard at his cards Towada thought they might combust. The quiet man observed him thoughtfully and huffed out a laugh. “I’m afraid my companions are not very experienced with cards and could probably use a break.”

“Oy, oy!” Baldy interjected, a sneer curling on his face as his eyes focused on Towada, “Come on, Ennoshita, you know I’m the most experienced out of all of us. And what makes you think this guy could do any better than these two?”

He growled and gave Baldy his fiercest glare, only for the man to reciprocate as if it was a competition. Before he could say anything, the younger player trying to intimidate his cards looked up, “Is it better for them to be all the same color? Or the same number?”

The man named Ennoshita sighed, “Perhaps you should step out and bring us some more rum, Kageyama?”

Kageyama nodded as he stood and laid his cards down… face up. The nervous looking youth next to him stared at them with his eyes wide. “Wasn’t that a royal flush?!”

“Nope! Didn’t count!” Baldy laughed as Ennoshita gathered up the cards and began shuffling. Towada stepped forward and took the empty seat, cocking his head at the Baldy with a smirk. “I think I will join, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, have you played before?”

“Sure have, I’m pretty good too.”

“Oooooh,” Both girls cooed at once, leaning toward him with their red lips curled in hypnotizing smiles.

“Pssht, I bet he’s just talk,” Baldy scoffed, giving both girls a jerk so they fell back against him with surprised squeals.

“Deal the cards, and you’ll find out, Baldy.”

Ennoshita snorted as he tossed the cards in front of each of them, landing in neat little piles. Towada swiped his cards up haughtily and gave them a look over. They were pretty good, and he only needed two switched out. When he did, he couldn’t stop the smile sneaking up his face. All three of his new companions flinched in surprise when he laid down a full house, beating all of them easily. He chuckled as he gathered up the few coins they had bet for the hand but paused when he heard a tongue click next to him.

“Beginners luck, _obviously_.”

He was about to retort when Kageyama returned, his arms full of rum bottles clinking and sloshing around. They passed them around heartily, one of the girls snatching one up and leaning toward him with it.

“Wanna share, sweetie?”

He laughed nervously as he felt his cheeks heat up. “S-sure! That’s my favorite way to drink.”

She let out a cackle as she slipped off Baldy’s lap and onto Towada’s, lifting the bottle up to take a gulp. As she brought the bottle back down, she let her lips linger in a pout as her eyes focused on Towada. He gulped as his heart pounded in his chest. Under the weight of the girl and her skirts, he was beginning to feel a little warm. It grew worse as she wrapped her arm around his neck and nursed him with the rest of the contents of the bottle. He had to admit, it had been a long time since he could relax like that, and rarely had he been given so much affection from a beautiful young lady.

He licked his lips as the girl tossed the empty bottle over her shoulder. “What’s your name, Sweetheart?”

She smiled radiantly, sending his blood to boiling temperatures. “I’m Kiko.”

“I thought that was her name.”

“Nope, that’s my sister Kiki.”

“Come on, you drunkards! I wanna get my money back!” Baldy grumbled, his speech beginning to slur as a bottle slipped out of his hands onto the sand.

Towada puffed out his chest and readjusted the girl on his lap. “I’m game, though it’ll be me winning the next hand!”

“That’s the spirit, Sweetie!” Kiko cheered as she lunged for another full bottle and gave him a swig.

“Hmm, if you’re so confident, how about we up the stakes?” Ennoshita suggested casually.

“Sure! I’m no coward!” Towada cheered, while the nervous youth next to him groaned.

“Don’t worry, Yamaguchi! If you go broke, we won’t let you starve! Ha, ha!” Baldy goaded him, and the lad nodded reluctantly. Again, Towada won the hand, and his confidence began to skyrocket.

“Whoa! That was really cool!” A bright haired boy exclaimed, his eyes shining in the light of the campfire. He smiled up at him with a grin that held the power of the sun, and Towada felt his heart swell for the little guy. He reached out and ruffled his hair, being reminded of his own little brother with his insatiable enthusiasm.

“Thank you! I’m pretty well known for my skills!”

“Oh, I’m not surprised!” Kiko purred, nuzzling the side of his face. He was growing a bit dizzy, though he wasn’t sure if it was the drink or the beauty of the girl on his lap.  

Ennoshita sighed as he leaned back on the barrel he was sitting on. “Well, I’m out of coins. The only thing I have left to bet is this.” He pulled out an exquisite knife with beautiful designs grooved into the shining gold. Towada’s eyes widened as he saw it, and his fingers itched to get his hands on it.

“Hmm, I think I can match that!” Baldy boasted, pulling out a pistol of equal value, the handle curved and accented with mother of pearl. Towada licked his lips, his eyes flickering to Yamaguchi as he groaned.

“Well, I’ve got this. It’s a family heirloom, but it’s all I have left.” He laid down a pocket watch with shining gems crested around it.

Towada was about to shout his intention to win everything when he paused. He had nothing that could compare in value to those items. All his weapons were secondhand, and very shoddy at that. Even the gold coins he had amassed with his previous winnings were not even a fraction of the treasures laying in front of him.

“Oh, Honey, what’s the matter?” Kiko asked tenderly, her fingers stroking down his cheeks.

“I haven’t got anything that’s the same value,” He said softly. The disappointment was weighing so heavily on him he felt like crying.

“That’s your ship right there, isn’t it?” Ennoshita asked, jerking his head in the direction of it without looking.

“Yeah, that’s my ship. Just bought her in fact.”

“Is there anything of value on it? We can wait, none of us have to work early tomorrow we we’ve got the whole night!”

Towada frowned as he looked over at the ship rocking slightly in the gentle waves. He knew there was nothing on board of any value since it had been picked clean by the pirates he bought it from. His eyes widened as another idea popped in his head.

“What about the ship itself? I know she doesn’t look like much, but she’s fast! At least, I think she’s fast, that’s what I’ve been told.”

Baldy grimaced and gave the ship a look. “I don’t know, looks like a piece of shit to me.”

“It’s not a piece of shit! She’s good, I tell you!”

“I’m not sure what I’d do with a ship,” Yamaguchi said, his eyes flickering over at it. Towada didn’t think he had anything to worry about with how badly he was playing.

“Well, I suppose we can add her in, maybe if you include your supplies and the rest of your coins you’ve already won,” Ennoshita shrugged. “Everybody in?”

“Aye!”

Towada slipped his cards up in front of them and resisted the urge to laugh. He had three eights right away, and though when he exchanged two cards received no more, he was confident he could take it.

“Ah ha, read them and weep!” Baldy cheered, slapping down a pair of jacks. Towada smirked, wiggling in his seat to wait his turn.

“Not so fast,” Ennoshita jeered, and Towada’s heart stopped as his eyes flicked to the new set of cards. It was three fives, and Towada chuckled maliciously as he eyed the treasure glittering in front of them.

“Ummmm, is this good?” Yamaguchi said nervously next to them. Everything seemed to stop as Towada saw the cards shaking in Yamaguchi’s fingers. It was a straight, numbers in sequential order, and the winning hand of everything.

The rest of Towada’s crew staggered over to ask why their Captain was passed out on the ground. Ennoshita informed them that he bet the ship and lost, so now it belongs to them. Tanaka and Ennoshita kept their pistols close in case the crew became belligerent, but they flinched in surprise when Towada’s men burst out laughing.

“Ha, ha, ha, haaaaaaa! I can’t believe he lost the ship!” One member laughed, tears streaming down his face as he fell to his knees in the sand.

“Yes! I wasn’t looking forward to sailing at all, what a relief!”

“Whew, at least we had some good food and drink. Thanks guys!”

“Hey, go get the rest of the guys off the ship! Then have them meet us at Terushima’s.”

Kiki and Kiko stood up and dusted the lingering sand off their dresses. With a smirk Tanaka paid them what was promised, and they accepted with dazzling smiles.

“You’re gonna come back and visit us, aren’t you Tanaka-kuuun?”

His cheeks grew red as he chuckled nervously. “Oh, yeah I hope so.”

Kiko glanced over at the train of Ougiminami men dragging their captain behind them up the path. “In the meantime, I think I’ll pay that poor honey an extra visit. I feel kinda bad.”

“Yeah, me too. Let’s go, Kiko!” They blew a kiss toward Tanaka, who pretended to catch it and put it on his lips.

As the crew of the Karasuno cheerfully gathered up their newly won supplies and shuffled it toward their beloved ship, Daichi wandered quietly on ahead. He walked across the gang plank, his eyes soaking in every corner of his ship. It seemed familiar and yet strange, like a recurring dream that almost seems like a memory. He stepped aboard, the planks creaking slightly from under the weight of his boots. His hand grazed the smooth wood of the railing as he walked toward the quarterdeck. He hesitated before moving away from the railing, closing his eyes and breathing in the cool, night air as it rushed past him. A smile curled on is lips as he heard the water lapping against the hull, the lullaby of the creaking wood, the thunder of the wind forcing its way through the masts. He was home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay!!! A happy turn around! I know you might be thinking how little time the main couple has been together, but they'll run into each other soon! (not the next chapter, don't get too excited, lol), even if they've already done it once, this is a long fic and a bit of a slow burn, but I hope you all stick with me, I have a lot of excitement coming :)  
> Oh, and I hope you guys are cool with this, but the TeruEnno stuff marks the start of a whole bunch of new ships on the way, I can't myself!!


	8. A Renewal of Identity

At dawn the Karasuno left the port at Johzenji and sailed to the newly awakening sun. For being so early, the crew was in energetic spirits as they went about their old routine. Duties that used to seem mundane and annoying were suddenly calming and nostalgic. They had not been separated from the ship for long, but with everything they had been through since and thinking they’d never see her again made it seem longer.

Yamaguchi used to be nervous as he took the helm from the Captain, but as he held the Karasuno steady in the directions Tsukishima gave him, he held his chin high as he was proud to be standing there again. Hinata squealed with delight when he crawled into his crow’s nest to find some of his possessions still there, since the pirates never bothered checking there. To anyone else, there was little value in them, but to Hinata they contained all his ties to home, particularly a journal he kept with a dried flower pressed in the pages from his little sister Natsu. Asahi inspected the ammunitions that had been replenished below deck. He scratched his beard as took a mental calculation and deemed it enough to get them by, though he was not impressed with the quality of the items and noticed that the cannons had not been cleaned since their fight with Nekoma. Right away he ordered Tanaka and Kageyama to help him fix everything up, and he chuckled at their eagerness to do so. After everyone was settled and everything seemed to be working properly, Daichi called everyone for a crew meeting on the main deck.

“Good work everyone! I still can’t believe we were able to get her back without having to fight anyone. Tsukishima, today you’re the hero! Well done!” They all cheered and tackled onto Tsukishima, who looked miserable as he tried to escape, though for a moment looked shocked by Daichi’s words of confidence.

Daichi allowed them a few moments of cheer before he brought them all back to order for a more serious talk. “We’re okay for now with the supplies we have, but now that we’ve retrieved the Karasuno we need to discuss our next plan.”

“Captain?” Suga asked hesitantly. “Do you think we could return to Port Seijoh and just beg Governor Oikawa’s forgiveness?”

Daichi scratched his head as he pondered the option. “We could do that, but I feel like he’ll have me arrested and impound the Karasuno for disobeying orders.”

“I started sailing on the Kitagawa Daiichi while the Governor and Commodore were just sailors,” Kageyama began, and they all looked at him in surprise. “I was really young, just a cabin boy, but I can tell you first hand that the Oikawa-san can be… hmm, I’m not sure of the word. Like he’ll want revenge? Maybe that’s too far, but he won’t be happy with us. He’ll definitely punish us somehow if we go back.”

“Vindictive,” Tsukishima offered.

“Huh?” Kageyama glanced up at him in confusion.

“The word you were looking for. Bitter and vengeful.”

“He’s right, Oikawa’s always been vindicative!” Tanaka joined in.

“Vindictive.”

“That’s what I said!”

“Okay, okay,” Suga groaned, trying to quiet them down. “So, if going back isn’t an option, what else can we do?”

Asahi perked up hopefully, “What about returning to Miyagi? Maybe we can work as a merchant of sorts?”

Ennoshita shook his head, “With Commodore Iwaizumi and the rest of the Royal Navy swarming around there I doubt we could deal peacefully without being arrested. Besides, if we develop an unsavory name I would not like that to fall back on Lady Yachi.”

“I agree,” Daichi nodded. “That doesn’t mean we can completely count out trade and work around lesser guarded ports like Johzenji.”

“Are we gonna become pirates?!” Hinata asked, much too excitedly for Suga’s taste.

“But, pirates steal and hurt people,” Yamaguchi added as he wrapped his arms around his knees. “I don’t wanna do that.”

Tsukishima shrugged, “We practically stole the ship back from those brigands back on Johzenji. We may not have hurt them, but we definitely tricked them… more easily than I thought we would.”

“We could be smugglers!” Nishinoya suggested. “We can be sneaky that way, still make money, and not necessarily hurt anyone!”

Tanaka groaned dramatically, “I’d rather be a pirate, it’s much flashier. Sneaking around is okay but not forever!”

“Enough,” Daichi said firmly, and they all stiffened and glanced his way. “Merchant, pirate, smuggler, hell even treasure hunter. These are all just a bunch of names. We are _Karasuno_ ; that is our title.” He glanced off the side of the ship at the open waves surrounding him and breathed in deeply. “Crows are omnivorous, doing whatever they can to survive. We’ll find ways to make a living without directly harming people. If someone picks another fight with us, we’ll take them down hard. We will rule ourselves and taste all the freedoms the ocean will bring us. What do you say?” He asked, turning his eyes back to the crew. For the first moment since their discussion began, every single one wore a smile of agreement.

“Aye!”

“Captain?” Suga asked after the cheers died down. “You said… treasure hunter?”

Daichi huffed out a laugh, “I wasn’t really thinking of anything specific, but it could be fun looking for some if we can afford it. There are many undiscovered shipwrecks and buried treasure around the Caribbean.”

“Those aren’t just myths?” Ennoshita asked.

“No,” Suga answered, his eyes growing wide as his cheeks began to grow pink. “They’re not just myths! They aren’t easy to get to, otherwise they would have been ransacked already. But I’ve studied all about them, and always dreamed of going after some.” He raised his eyes to Daichi, leaning forward as he licked his lips. “Daichi? Can we try?”

“Well, yeah! I think we can all get behind that, right?” They all nodded enthusiastically, Kageyama and Hinata had leapt to their feet as they pumped their arms in excitement. Tsukishima appeared to be bored with the conversation, but his eyes glittered slightly from behind his glasses. Daichi held up his hands to quiet them down. “Do you have a particular treasure in mind, Suga?”

“Yes! I’ve always wanted to try to find the Cursed Treasure of Saga Island!” Though it was the middle of the afternoon on a warm, sunny day, a frigid breeze swept around them. The entire crew glanced around each other with wide eyed silence, goosebumps flickering across their skin.

“Cursed, huh?” Daichi repeated with an eyebrow cocked at his excited friend.

Suga nodded, unperturbed, “Yup, cursed! No one’s ever gone for it and lived to tell the tale!”

“Nishinoya, check Suga’s temperature, I think he might be sick.”

Suga swatted the short doctor away with a giggle. “I’m fine! I told you I studied it, I’m confident I can get us through! Please?!”

Daichi was a little uneasy about the idea of going after cursed treasure that no one else had survived from pursuing, but it was hard to say no to his friend who looked so excited about it. Suga was also a big history buff, and the most superstitious out of them all. If he was confident in his own abilities, so was he. “Alright! I’m for it, are we all in agreement?”

“Aye!”

 

Saga was a tiny island shrouded in mystery. The rumors stated it was entirely uninhabited since it was mostly caves carved out of rock and surrounded by fog. The crew of the Karasuno gaped in wonder as they neared the wall of white, dewy air, masking everything beyond.

Daichi released a long breath through his teeth. “Last chance to turn back.”

“No way, we only just got here!” Suga cried, his feet moving non-stop as he ran excitedly around the main deck. Typically, his positivity was more influential with the rest of the crew, but as they gulped down their nervousness when the fog enveloped them, terror began to seep into their bones.

The waves began to grow choppy, and Daichi peered his eyes to catch sight of anything that would be disturbing the water.

“Turn to starboard!” Hinata cried urgently, and Yamaguchi spun the wheel quickly to veer the ship to the right. It wasn’t a moment too soon, and the Karasuno rocked heavily as it sailed past the remains of another ship. It looked like a skeleton, only the bare bones still intact as it hung onto a sharp jagged rock sticking up from the waters like a spear.

“Well done, Yamaguchi! Keep her steady,” Daichi encouraged, not letting his voice waver. “Good catch, Hinata! Keep your eyes peeled! The rest of you, do what you can to help him out, that’s probably not the last one.” He was relieved he had ordered the sails to be closed so they were only going as fast as the rough waves were carrying them. Twice more Hinata cried out for Yamaguchi to make a hard left or right, and each time they narrowly missed getting caught on a rock or another corpse of a ship.

“Captain!” Suga cried, for once showing a twinge of uncertainty. “I think we’re close enough that we should lower the anchor and go the rest of the way in a longboat. I feel like the rocks will become more frequent from here on out.”

Daichi nodded and ordered the anchor to be dropped. It caught hold quickly, and the Karasuno jerked as it pulled taught, drifting only a bit in the tumultuous waves. Daichi once again released a long breath to calm his nerves. “Ready the longboat!”

As the crew scurried about, his eyes glanced over each of them to decide who to bring and who to leave behind. He decided to leave Ennoshita in charge of the ship with Narita and Kinoshita. Because he felt the quest may be dangerous, he also left behind the younger four, much to Kageyama and Hinata’s dismay. Daichi walked toward them and placed a firm hand on both their shoulders.

“If anything happens to us out there, I need you two to help Ennoshita with the ship, do you understand?” They both reluctantly nodded, and he gave them a smile and ruffled their hair.

“We’re ready, Captain!” Suga called cheerfully from the longboat, Asahi, Nishinoya and Tanaka seated with him with worried frowns. Daichi nodded and rechecked his weapons. As soon as he stepped into the boat, it began to lower down into the choppy waves.

“Come on, you cowards! Perk up, we’re treasure hunters!” Suga cheered as he gave a few of them a punch on the arm while Nishinoya tried to muster up his usual enthusiasm for a high five. It was pathetic, but it did make him feel better. Asahi kept his lips pinched tight, breathing deep to keep his sea sickness in check. He usually didn’t have a problem, but temperamental waves always made it worse.

“Alright, Suga, what’s next?” Daichi grunted as he and Tanaka rowed forward, letting Asahi concentrate on keeping the vomit down. Suga glanced down at his compass, nodding slowly.

“Turn a bit to the larboard side, and the waters should grow calmer that lead us into the main cove.” They adjusted their oars and began heading in that direction. Nobody spoke as they focused on staying afloat, and soon the waves began to settle down. There was only a slight relief however, since with the still waters came an unnerving silence surrounding them as they rowed through the blank white world around them. Daichi even heard Tanaka gulp beside him and could practically hear the sweat curling down Asahi’s face. His own skin had grown clammy in the damp, cool air, and it chilled him down to the bones.

“How long do you think it’ll be like this, Suga?” He asked in a whisper, not daring to speak louder than that.

“I’m not sure, it should be around here.”

“What should?”

Something hit the underside of the boat, eliciting a frightened yelp from everyone on board.

“What was that?! A rock?”

“No, it didn’t feel like we hit something… it felt like it hit us.”

“Maybe it was a big fish.”

“I think we found it!” Suga said, an excited grin on his face.

“Found what, Suga?!”

“The sea creature that guards the treasure!”

Everything went still as Tanaka and Daichi stopped rowing. Daichi turned slowly to look at him, his scowl teetering between confusion and murderous intent.

“A _sea creature_? When were you going to tell us about that?!”

Suga glanced over his shoulder with a sheepish smile. “Well, I was worried you wouldn’t let us come, but I’m telling you now!”

“Why you--” Daichi lunged to throttle his best friend, but Tanaka and Nishinoya held him back. The boat jerked again, and they all scrambled to hold onto the sides.

“What is it?!” Asahi cried as he loaded his pistol with a shaky hand. The rest of them quickly followed suit, their eyes flickering between their weapons and the water surrounding them. The boat shook, as if someone was gripping it and moving it around from underneath. There was a splash beside Daichi, and he turned to see a shadow move under the water. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears.

“I saw something underneath the water,” He whispered, his mouth going dry.

“What did it look like?” Tanaka asked. He was one of the bravest crew members he had, but in that moment Daichi could tell he was petrified.

“It looked like a fin maybe? It’s too dark to tell. Asahi, bring the torch over--”

They all screamed as the boat tipped to the side. They gripped on tight and tried to put their weight on the opposite side to keep from capsizing. Daichi spared a glance over his shoulder and felt his blood run cold. There was a ghostly hand clenched on the side of the boat, webbing connecting the fingers underneath the knuckles.

“It’s got us,” He whispered, and they all stopped to watch as the creature silently lifted itself higher, revealing itself in the shaky torchlight.

The creature’s hair was silky and black as ink, spilling down her shoulders and chest and bangs falling attractively over her forehead. Her eyes were dark, but as Asahi leaned forward with the torch, they could see they were a soothing shade of blue-grey. She kept her lips pressed tight as she observed them, and they noticed she had a delicate mole just underneath.

“She’s… she’s _beautiful_ ,” Tanaka whispered as he began to creep closer. Her eyes focused on him, but otherwise didn’t move. He gulped as he stretched out a hand towards her, an overwhelming desire to stroke her cheek coming over him. Just before his fingertips grazed her skin, she let out a hiss revealing a set of sharpened teeth within her lovely mouth. She grabbed Tanaka’s hand and tugged, pulling him over the side. Asahi and Daichi grabbed hold of his waist just in time while Tanaka wriggled in their arms.

“I’ll be fine, just let me go!”

“You’re talking crazy, she’s got you hypnotized!”

“Ryuu! Close your eyes, don’t look at her face!” Nishinoya cried as he kept his own eyes shut and beat the water around them with an oar, missing the creature entirely.

“No! Don’t hurt her!” Suga yelled at the front of the boat.

Daichi growled as he tried to tug Tanaka back, “Not you too, Suga!”

“No, she’s just a guardian, she needs a sacrifice. Here!” Suga shoved Nishinoya back and slipped his knife out of his belt. Daichi glanced over to see his friend place the blade to his palm and cut across it.

“What are you doing?!”

Suga didn’t answer but surged forward, holding it out over the edge and toward the creature’s face. She stopped yanking on Tanaka’s hand and her snarl faded, her lips once again hiding the lethal looking teeth. Her pupils expanded as she gazed at Suga’s hand, licking her lips she drifted back up toward them. After releasing Tanaka, she grasped onto Suga’s arm and began to lick up a tendril of blood that had dripped down. They gaped as the beautiful creature smiled and continued running her tongue across Suga’s wounded palm. Suga didn’t appear to be nervous or in pain; in fact, his cheeks were flushed as he trembled in her grasp.

“Why do I feel… jealous?” Asahi asked quietly as he watched her tongue glide across his skin.

Daichi nodded, “I know what you mean. Hey, Suga, maybe I should give her some too.”

“Yeah, yeah, I want a turn!” Tanaka urged as Nishinoya gave Suga’s shirt a tug.

“No, this is all she needs. Back off or you’ll ruin it!”

She gave Suga a little tug and he fell forward, his eyes widening at the proximity to her face. She stroked her fingers along his face as she brought her lips up to his ear and whispered something only he could hear. When she was finished she gave him one last shy smile as she dove back into the water, a long, graceful fin with shimmering scales curling after her.

“She was a mermaid?” Nishinoya asked in disbelief.

“Of course she was, she was a siren sent from heaven itself,” Tanaka sighed dreamily.

Daichi glanced at him. “Wouldn’t a siren be from hell?”

Tanaka gasped, “Don’t speak that way about the love of my life!”

“Funny, I think she was more into Suga,” Daichi snickered as he turned back to the grey-haired sailor. He was still gazing into the water where the mermaid had disappeared. “What did she say to you?”

Suga smiled softly as he turned and plopped back on the seat. “Shimizu.”

“Huh?”

“Her name is Shimizu.”

 

As they regained their senses, they continued until the fog finally lifted, revealing the small island covered almost entirely by tall rocky cliffs.

“Suga, are there any other surprises waiting for us?” Daichi grumbled as they rowed up onto a little spit of beach.

“No, I think that was it.”

“What? That can’t be it, wasn’t that too easy?”

“Easy?” Asahi asked, giving Daichi a wry look as he shoved the oar into the sand and began to tie the boat up to it.

Suga shrugged, “Most ships don’t make it past the jagged rocks, some just keep drifting in the fog, and if they do make it as far as us they’re usually drowned by Shimizu. She’s uh… really strong.” Daichi didn’t miss his cheeks flushing up again, and he rolled his eyes. Suga had teased him mercilessly for falling for a roguish pirate, he couldn’t wait to throw it back in his face that he had fallen head over heels for a mermaid. But for the moment they needed to focus on their quest.

He glanced around at the black rocks surrounding them, and above the sound of the waves he could hear the howl of the wind blasting through hidden caverns within.

“Are we looking for a cave?”

Suga shook his head as he regained focus. “Yes! Um… the legend said the entrance looks like a face?”

“Ok, let’s… look for a face I guess. Stick together.”

They meandered around the jagged rocks, the surfaces damp from the perpetual cloud surrounding the island. It was still unnervingly quiet without any gulls on the island; Daichi thought he’d never miss the irritating birds but he would be grateful for anything to break the silence. The beach was so narrow they had to walk around the rocks single file with their hands grazing the glistening obsidian.

“The tide is in right now, I think normally there’d be more room on the beach,” Suga whispered, still not daring to speak louder. Asahi was in the front and rounded a sharp corner when he stopped abruptly, causing Tanaka to run right into him.

“Why’d you stop?” Tanaka grumbled.

“I… I think I found it,” Asahi whispered, staring in shock at something in front of him. They shoved him forward and peeked around his large stature.

“Whoa!” Nishinoya said from in between Asahi’s legs, which was the only place he could see in the narrow space. Jutting out from the wall of rock was what looked to be a man’s face, the eyes shut, the nose round and bulbous, and a mouth hanging open as if the man was screaming.

“Well, that’s… charming,” Daichi said, once again gulping down his nerves. He narrowed his eyes and noticed the hole in the mouth was large enough that they could enter the cave with only the tallest of them having to duck. “Let’s go investigate.”

He slid past Asahi, who continued to stare at the ominous entrance, and slipped the torch out of his hand as he led the way toward it. As he approached, he held the torch just inside to reveal a plain dark tunnel with unlit torches hung on the walls. He hesitated, letting his eyes rove around expecting a lethal booby trap of some sort. Suga clicked his tongue behind him and swept past him, stepping into the mouth and walking bravely forward. He walked two steps in and fell with a yell.

“Suga!” They cried as they rambled in after him.

“Owwww, I’m okay, there was just a bit of seaweed I slipped on,” He groaned as he shuffled back to his feet, rubbing his bottom gingerly.

“It wasn’t a trap?!” Tanaka asked, his eyes jerking around the space like something was going to grab him.

“No, I was just being clumsy,” Suga admitted, looking humiliated after putting on a brave face.

Daichi laughed and patted his arm. “Don’t worry about it, I’m glad you’re okay. You really are sure there are no traps or anything?”

Suga shook his head as they continued forward cautiously, allowing Daichi the lead with the torch. “The pirates who left the treasure here were actually shipwrecked and weren’t smart enough to put traps up. They never knew how to get past the rocks or Shimizu, so they just died of starvation, or so everyone assumed.”

“That’s a terrible story. Wait, where did they even get the story from if they all died?”

“I think one of them escaped on a piece of their ship. He was so dehydrated he was delirious and he died not long after of sickness. Someone wrote down everything he told them, and the legend was born.”

“So, you mentioned they didn’t know how to get past Shimizu, how did _you_ know how to?”

Suga smirked, “Because I read more than one story. I’ve studied mythical creatures as well and know how to handle most of them.”

“What about a kraken?!” Nishinoya’s voice rang out excitedly, extremely loud in the close walls of the tunnel.

“Oh… with a kraken I think the best thing you can do is find a piece of something to float on and jump ship, pretending to be dead and pray you don’t get sucked down with the ship.”

Daichi cleared his throat. “Ok! No looking for treasure around krakens, got it?”

“Agreed,” The rest of them said in unison. Daichi paused every so often to light the torches lining the tunnel so they weren’t relying just on the one in his hand. He stepped on something that began to crumble under his foot, and he glanced down to see a skeleton stretched out across the path. He shoved it to the wall and walked on, wondering how the events in his life had led him to this point. As always, he blamed a messy haired pirate who was probably having a laugh someplace warm with a drink in his hand. _Bastard_ , he thought, but a tiny seedling of thought curled in his mind, wondering if Kuroo had already found someone else. Daichi rolled his eyes at himself; why would he even care about that asshole? As soon as they met again he would mess up that handsome face so badly no one will pay him any attention, so there would be no reason to worry.

His thoughts were interrupted when the tunnel opened, and all of them shuffled into a huge cavern that left them speechless… almost.

“Whoooooa!” Nishinoya cried, snatching the torch from his captain and lighting several along the wall to brighten the space. As each light ignited, the room began to glisten as more gold and jewels were revealed in buckets, chests and crates.

“Holy shit,” Daichi whispered, his mouth growing dry as he soaked in the sight. “Do we even need to find work after this?”

“Not if we use it wisely,” Suga whispered as well, while Nishinoya and Tanaka yelled in excitement, their voices echoing off the walls. There were other things strewn about the room besides treasure, mainly fine-looking weapons and furniture most likely rescued from the pirate’s crashed ship. Daichi finally regained enough control over himself to step forward, inspecting the space thoroughly. On the opposite end of the room was another tunnel, and he wondered where that led.

“Captain! How are we gonna bring all this back?” Tanaka asked cheerfully, a gem-crested crown sitting lopsided on his bald head.

“We don’t.”

“Huh? Why not?”

Daichi snorted and shook his head. “Why would we take it back to the ship just to have some asshole try to take it from us. We’re the only ones who know how to get here, why not make this our home base?”

Asahi nodded slowly, “This place is creepy as hell, but that could definitely work to our advantage! Plus, we could liven it up in here so it’s not so bad.”

“There’s a whole bunch of spaces off the main one!” Nishinoya’s voice called from around a corner and startled them when he popped his head back out. “This one would do nicely to store food, nice and dry! We could make one room up with a few bunks to sleep in, I like it!”

“This place is so remote I don’t even think anyone would need to guard the ship,” Suga muttered as he eyed up some musty looking paintings tossed in the corner.

“Hmmm, possibly. Let’s check out where this other tunnel leads.” He grabbed a new torch since Nishinoya was still running around with it (which was concerning since he was their only doctor) and slipped down the new corridor. This one was significantly shorter than the last tunnel and opened to a smaller cavern with an underground pool that lead out of the cave through a larger mouth than the one they had entered through before.

“Hey, looks like we have another entrance. We could row right in this way.”

“Captain, look!” Suga called as he wandered around the edge. To the side was a trickling waterfall from a hold in the roof of the cavern. Suga approached it and cupped his hands, letting the cool water pool and took a tentative sip. “It’s fresh!”

Daichi smiled as he turned to the rest of his friends. “I think we definitely just found our base of operations.” He laughed as Nishinoya and Tanaka cheered, necklaces and bracelets falling off them and clanging to the ground as they hopped up and down. “Let’s go get the others.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Shimizu joins the group! Sort of... anyways, let me know what you think in a comment. I love comments! :D


	9. The tenuous line between love and hate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *NSFW Warning* ;) yeeeeeeeeah

Bokuto whistled a happy tune one afternoon as he meandered through the town of Johzenji. They had just pulled into port to restock, and he left his crew to handle most of that while he stopped by the tavern for any new information. The truth was actually he wanted to relax with a drink, but he was certain his crew believed him when he gave the more responsible excuse. As he wandered through the creaky door, he glanced about to see it was busy, though it wasn’t even three in the afternoon.

“TerUshimaaaa!” He called as hopped forward.

“Bokutoooooo! What brings your Owlyness in here on this fine morning?”

“It’s not morning anymore!”

“Oh… whatever, I never leave this place, so it doesn’t matter. Want something to drink? The usual?”

“Sure, sounds good!” He turned and leaned his back against the bar as he glanced around. His eyes lit up when they fell on a figure hunched over onto the table face down, his hand gripping a bottle with his radiant red coat spread out around him. He snorted and turned back to Terushima. “On second thought, let me have a bottle with it. How long has Kuroo been in?”

Terushima smirked and glanced over to the corner where Kuroo was. “A few days, hasn’t had much luck with things, and he’s been extra mopey as well. What’s eating him?”

Bokuto sighed dramatically, “Love, of course! But he’s an idiot and ruined it.” They giggled maliciously as Bokuto paid him his coins and shuffled over to his friend. He stood for a moment beside him, his eyes narrowed as checked to see if he was conscious or even alive. Kuroo’s back rose and fell with shallow breaths, and Bokuto concluded his friend was alive and sleeping away. With a smirk he slammed his bottle onto the table, and Kuroo jerked his head up with a yelp, his chest heaving and his eyes darting around until they fell on the perpetrator.

“Bah, ha, ha! You should have seen your face!” Bokuto laughed as he plopped down in the seat next to him. Kuroo’s hand slid off the empty bottle held onto his chest, his face darkening as he glared at his friend.

“You asshole, you scared the shit out of me! Do you have any idea how much my head hurts?” He grumbled.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Soooooo… I take it you heard the rumors?”

Kuroo pinched his lips tight. “Which ones?”

“About how Sawamura ingeniously got his ship back, found a heap of treasure, and is now sailing around the Caribbean like a total bad-ass.”

Kuroo groaned as he dropped his head back down to the table. “I know, I heard all that. He was an interesting guy when I met him, and now he’s even cooler. What the hell?”

“Yup! He’s gaining a reputation already, and because they never really hurt anybody he’s actually quite popular. Aaaaaaaand he’s gonna kill you.” He laughed obnoxiously as if he had told a funny joke, and Kuroo fake sobbed against the dented wood.

He lifted his head and tried to take a sip out of his bottle but frowned when he found it empty. Bokuto took pity on him and slid his over in front of him. He took a sip and sighed, licking his lips. “Maybe he’ll forgive me?”

“Why would he do that?”

Kuroo shrugged, “Cuz he’s a nice guy?”

“He’s not a stupid guy. Why would he trust you?”

“I’m not gonna do something like that again, I learned my lesson, okay?”

“Did you though?”

“Whose side are you on?!”

“His of course! Sexy Sawamura is looking like a way better option these days.”

Kuroo growled deep in his throat. “I really hate you.”

He glanced up as the door swung open, and everything around him seemed to stop. Captain Sawamura Daichi stood in the doorway as he looked curiously around the room. He looked healthy and clean, wearing a new black leather coat with shining silver clasps. The rest of his clothes were black as well; dressing only in black would make anyone else look dreary, but it only added to his intimidating aura and increased Kuroo’s heart rate.

Bokuto turned in his seat to see what he was staring at, and his eyes widened as he spotted him. “Shit… is that _him_?!”

“Yeah,” He said with a smile. “That’s him!”

Daichi was chuckling as one of his companions meandered up to the bar where Terushima greeted him enthusiastically. His eyes continued soaking in the bar until they suddenly stopped, spotting Kuroo in the corner. The smile slid from his lips, and Kuroo could see his jaw clench and his warm brown eyes turn dark. Kuroo’s own smile retreated as he began to feel his skin prickle with fear.

“Kuroo,” Daichi said under his breath, and after a heartbeat lunged toward him. Kuroo leapt out of his seat and tried to weave his way through the tables to hide in the room he let upstairs, but Daichi was too quick. He tackled him down to the ground and Kuroo felt a fist plow into his side. Pain shot through his body, and he fought to regain his breath. He felt Daichi’s fingers grip into his coat to pull him up, so he took the chance and jerked his back toward the table next to them. Daichi was unprepared and ran into the wooden legs, releasing his coat, and Kuroo scrambled out from underneath of him. He ran two steps when a firm hand grasped his arm and whirled him around. The next thing he saw was Daichi’s fist as it plowed into his jaw, knocking him back into a pillar. The punch had left his brain rattled and his jaw throbbing in pain, and the only sound he could focus on was a ringing inside of his ears. He rubbed his face and focused his eyes above his fingers. Daichi was still glaring at him, but he appeared to be hesitating. _Maybe that’s all he needed to do_ , Kuroo thought. He removed his hands and opened his mouth to say something, but Daichi’s fist shot forward again landing this time in his eye.

“Ow, shit!” He yelled as he bent over in pain. Daichi still hesitated, and Kuroo realized it was that honest streak he was still holding onto, and Kuroo was still capable of exploiting. While he was still bent over he charged forward, knocking Daichi back while he took the chance to stumble up the stairs half blind. As his head cleared he could hear the rest of the tavern cheering behind him, none as loud as Bokuto who was obviously rooting for Sawamura. The stairs curled around with a landing, and Kuroo nearly made it past it when he felt a shove from behind. As soon as he fell into the steps he was being jerked up again and shoved against the wall. Daichi held him there as he unhinged the window beside them.

“What are you-- Hey!” Kuroo yelped as Daichi ducked and threw his arms around Kuroo’s legs, hoisting him up and forcing him out the window. “Sawamura, please! Stop!”

“Stop? Why should I?” Daichi grunted, and as Kuroo gripped onto the window frame he glanced back to see a slight smirk on Daichi’s face.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?!”

Daichi gave him a more forceful shove and one of Kuroo’s hands slipped. His body surged back, and his head went out the window. “Why shouldn’t I enjoy this? I’ve been dreaming of this moment since you left me to die!”

“I knew you wouldn’t die! I took precautions to make sure you would be okay, I swear it!” He squirmed his body, hoping the sheer length of him would be too much for Sawamura to handle. The sturdy man did struggle, but he had a good grip on Kuroo and wasn’t about to let go. Kuroo was able to regain a hold of the window frame and used every bit of his strength to get his head back inside. He gave his foot a kick and it landed on Sawamura’s shoulder. It was enough to shove him back and release Kuroo’s legs. Kuroo landed on his feet as Daichi stumbled backward toward the stairs. Kuroo lunged out and grabbed his coat just before he fell and tugged him back up and into his arms. He could see the panic in Daichi’s eyes, and he took a moment to catch his breath.

“Are you okay?” Kuroo asked.

Daichi nodded, “Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks.” When he had regained control of his mind, Daichi’s eyes flickered to Kuroo’s arms that were still around him and then up to Kuroo’s face. He smirked as he said in a rough voice, “I’m still gonna shove you out that window.”

He ran forward, pushing Kuroo back up against the window while an uproar of cheers erupted from down below. With a laugh he grabbed one of Kuroo’s legs and began to lift him back up. This time, however, Kuroo wedged his elbows in the window to support his weight. He snuck his free leg behind Daichi’s knee and jerked it forward, causing Daichi to drop to the floor.

Kuroo leapt over him and scrambled up the rest of the stairs toward his room. He could hear the thunder of Daichi’s footsteps behind him, but Kuroo had really long legs. He reached his door just in time to throw it open and slip inside. It was almost shut behind him when Daichi’s arm forced its way in between.

“If you lock yourself in there I’m gonna break down the door!” Daichi wheezed from outside as he tried shoving his foot in as well.

“You already beat the shit out of me, what more do you want?!” Kuroo cried, trying to force Daichi’s limbs out of the way.

“I’ve hardly beaten any shit out of you, now take your medicine like a man!”

“No, I don’t want to!” Kuroo shouted back, and he smirked when he heard Daichi huff out a laugh from amidst his struggling. He stretched his legs out for better stability, but his foot stepped on a shirt he had tossed on the floor earlier. His foot slipped out and his face slammed into the door as his body fell forward. Daichi wrenched the door open and shoved Kuroo with his foot and forcing him back hard onto the floor. With a groan Kuroo leaned his head back and remained stationary as he breathed heavily, pain shooting through every muscle and bruise on his body. A hefty weight landed on his belly, knocking the wind out of him, and he gasped as his upper body was lifted by the lapel of his coat. He cracked his eyes open to see Daichi’s eyes observing him carefully.

“Why aren’t you fighting back?” Daichi growled.

“What? You want me to hit you?”

“No, of course not. I just want to know why you aren’t defending yourself?”

“Well… several reasons.”

“Which are?”

Kuroo took a moment to catch his breath, so he could look Daichi in the eye. “I fully admit I deserve this for what I did, and I’m sorry.”

Daichi narrowed his eyes at him. “Are you serious?”

“Of course! Don’t you believe me?”

Daichi shrugged, “Not sure yet. What other reason?”

“Well, you have a really mean punch. If I fought back, I’m pretty sure you would kill me.”

Daichi smiled and leaned in closer. “Don’t worry, Kuroo. I’m not gonna kill you.”

“You’re not?”

“No way, if I kill you it would be too easy! I fully intend on punching your face everytime I see it.” He chuckled darkly as Kuroo let his head fall back with a groan. “But… I’ll give you a chance to lesson your punishment, if you’re interested.”

Kuroo’s head shot back up. “What do I have to do?” He felt his whole body shiver under the intense gaze Daichi was giving him, especially his roguish smirk that wasn’t didn’t exist last time they had met.

“Make me feel so much pleasure that I would enjoy _that_ more than beating you into a bloody pulp. Don’t get cocky though, you wouldn’t believe how much enjoyment I got out of that.”

Kuroo smiled, even though his face was throbbing and swollen. “As you wish, Sawamura. I’ll gladly accept this challenge.” He slipped his arms around Daichi’s waist as he leaned further up. He didn’t immediately lean in for a kiss, hesitating just in front of Daichi’s lips. He was still nervous the other man was going to headbutt him when he least expected it. Daichi must have picked up on his trepidation, chuckling and leaning in the rest of the way himself. Kuroo sighed as their lips touched, missing the way his body warmed up just from the contact of that sensitive skin. Their kisses were soft at first, testing the waters when so much had happened between them. But Daichi had set a high bar for him to reach, and he intended to surpass it. He opened his mouth wider and Daichi followed suit, so their tongues could meet once again.

“Hm, tastes like blood,” Daichi murmured in between kisses, pulling him closer by tugging on his coat.

Kuroo chuckled, “I wonder why… I’m pretty sure I lost a tooth somewhere downstairs.” Kuroo could already feel his heart beating faster, warming his body from the inside while Daichi added his own immense body heat on the outside. Kuroo slipped his hands inside Daichi’s leather coat and began to slip it off of him.

“Nice coat, by the way.” He felt Daichi smile against his lips.

“Thanks, I felt like it suited me.”

Kuroo hummed in appreciation as he gently laid Daichi’s new coat aside. “It does, but for now I’d rather see you in nothing.” He started tugging Daichi’s shirt out of his pants but stopped when Daichi took control of his arms by slipping his own coat off. Their kisses grew more passionate as they began competing for who could take more clothes off the other. As exciting as the moment was, they degenerated into giggles when Kuroo fell back when they were trying to tug each other’s pants off. Daichi having the advantage of being on top quickly yanked Kuroo’s boots off and removed the rest of his pants.

“Not fair, Captain Sawamura,” Kuroo playfully growled as he lunged up and tackled Daichi down onto his back. He almost had his pants off when he noticed Daichi scowling at his body. “What’s wrong?”

Daichi clicked his tongue as he shook his head. “I really thought I gave you more bruises than that.”

Kuroo laughed and pulled Daichi free from the rest of his clothing. He crawled over his body, placing shiver-inducing kisses in a trail until he reached Daichi’s throat. “Just wait til morning, I think you’ll be more satisfied. But for now, I promised pleasure, and it’s not gonna be that good on the floor.” He scooped one arm around Daichi’s back and one under his legs and lifted him upward. Daichi yelped at the unexpected strength in the lanky man and grunted when he was tossed onto the rickety bed. Kuroo hopped on top of him and pulled him into a deep kiss, letting his body stretch out over top of him.

“Mmmmm, I think you need some tattoos on this perfect body,” He purred as he snuck his lips across Daichi’s face to grab hold of his ear, letting his hands graze across Daichi’s muscles. “You should get my name put on you somewhere.”

“I’m not getting _Captain Dickhead_ tattooed on my ass.”

Despite the burn, Kuroo laughed into Daichi’s shoulder. “Why do I feel like I created a monster?”

“You did,” Daichi retorted in a whisper as he nuzzled his face into Kuroo’s messy hair. “Now get on with it, I don’t have all day you know.”

“Oh, you didn’t say you wanted a quickie. Well, as my master commands!” Kuroo lifted himself up and reached into a drawer beside the bed, pulling out the bottle of oil he used the last time he had Daichi were together. He uncorked the bottle and began pouring it over his hands, glancing up to see Daichi frowning at him again.

“What’s wrong this time?”

“You keep that bottle pretty handy. Been using it lately?” Daichi kept his tone cool, but Kuroo knew what he was getting at, and it filled him with an overflowing sense of pleasure. He knew better than to egg the other man on at that point, however.

“Only to satisfy myself when dreaming of Captain Sawamura, the one who got away.”

Daichi’s eyebrows furrowed deeper, yet his mouth curled up slightly as if he couldn’t force it away. “I got away? As I recall you left me on an island and sailed away yourself.”

“A fatal mistake I won’t be making again. Now, have you ever bottomed before?” Daichi shook his head, looking slightly nervous as he pursed his lips. “No worries. I promised you mind-blowing pleasure, didn’t I?” Kuroo laid his body on the bed alongside Daichi’s, his lips finding their way around his stomach as he brought his slicked-up fingers down in between his legs. “Just relax and let me take care of everything. Spread your legs a bit.”

Daichi released a long breath and leaned his head back against the pillow. He obeyed Kuroo and widened his legs, flinching slightly when he felt Kuroo’s nimble fingers exploring underneath and circling his entrance. He concentrated instead on the feeling of Kuroo’s hot mouth creeping up to his chest and slicking his tongue across his nipple. It was strange how last time they were together he had more control over the situation, and he had been tied up. He was like putty in Kuroo’s hands, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable feeling. Being a captain and handling a rowdy crew could be stressful, it felt good letting someone else take control.

Daichi let out a groan, the wet heat rubbing circles on his nipple as Kuroo’s fingers mirrored the action inside of him, stretching him out gently. His dick throbbed down below as blood pumped into it, begging to be touched.  He was curious how it would feel to have sex without it being inside of anything, but Kuroo seemed to enjoy it immensely the last time they were together, so he hoped he would feel the same.

Suddenly Kuroo released his nipple and began to move his body down where his fingers continued curling and circling. He rubbed his free hand up and down Daichi’s thigh, admiring the muscle flexed tight against his skin. Daichi glanced down to see Kuroo’s heavy lidded eyes smoldering as he looked over every bit of Daichi, and he shivered with delight knowing he was so appealing to Kuroo. Kuroo’s eyes flickered to his own, and with a smirk he bent down and began kissing down his thigh. As Kuroo’s lips crept closer his most sensitive appendage, Daichi’s heart raced even faster. His eyes widened as he saw Kuroo hover just above it, so tantalizingly close he could feel his hot breath pouring over it.

“Kuroo,” He whined, and he saw Kuroo’s lips spread wide.

“As you wish,” he whispered, and he slipped his mouth over the head and all the way down the shaft. It was more intense than Daichi could have dreamed. Sex with a woman was enjoyable. Sex with Kuroo had been way better. Having Kuroo’s hot wet mouth encasing him completely with his tongue careening across it; the experience had him panting as he gripped onto the sheets underneath him, doing whatever he could not to release on the spot.

Apparently, that wasn’t all Kuroo had in mind. He lifted his head, keeping his lips tight as he exposed his shaft once again to the cool air and then plowed back down with a rush of heat. He did it again, only faster as he added another finger inside of Daichi and increasing the overwhelming sensations inside of him.

The sheets weren’t enough for Daichi’s hands, he needed to touch Kuroo and unlike last time he had the freedom to do so. He reached both his hands down and slipped his fingers into Kuroo’s thick mop of black hair. A pleased hum reverberated in Kuroo’s throat and sent delectable vibrations straight into Daichi.

“Kuroo, wait, I’m gonna--”

“Go ahead,” Kuroo said after releasing him with a pop. “I promised you mind blowing pleasure, and I’m gonna try to get you cum over and over if I can.” He grinned like a cat up to no good as he ran his tongue in circles over his head, sending intense sensations spiraling through him. He pumped his head over him as he did the same with his hand inside of him, and it didn’t take long for Daichi to reach his climax and release. His mind was blank as he emptied himself, not realizing until his mind regained clarity that Kuroo had taken it all into his mouth.

“What are you doing, spit it out,” He said hoarsely. Kuroo sat up and grinned, licking his lips.

“Can’t, already swallowed it.”

“What?!”

Kuroo burst into laughter and crawled back up onto Daichi. “Wanna taste?” He puckered his lips and made loud kissing sounds that churned Daichi’s stomach.

“Ew, no!” He laughed as he shoved Kuroo back.

Kuroo slipped off the bed, lifting a sack off the floor. He rummaged around until he found a bottle inside and removed the cork.

“This should wash everything out,” He chuckled and took a few gulps. He wandered back to the bed and offered some to Daichi, who accepted just enough for a couple gulps and handed it back. After the bottle was corked and placed safely on the bedside table, Kuroo crawled back onto Daichi and laid his whole lanky body across him, bringing his lips gently across Daichi’s.

“Ready for round two?”

“Do you think I’m ready?” Daichi chuckled.

Kuroo cupped his hands against Daichi’s cheeks, his smile so warm it curled Daichi’s toes. “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle with you. Since you’ve already popped you’re gonna be _extra_ sensitive.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down, and Daichi rolled his eyes as he tried to ignore the heat spreading in his cheeks.

“Alright… go ahead.”

Kuroo kissed him one more time before straightening up and settling on his knees. He quickly rubbed some more of the oil over himself before slipping his hands underneath Daichi and lifting his lower half up higher.

“Keep breathing and relax,” He whispered as he lined himself up. Daichi nodded and reached back into the sheets, breathing deeply as he tried to release the tension in his body. Suddenly he felt himself stretch inside, Kuroo’s blazing heat seeping into him. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, remembering to keep breathing and slowly felt his muscles relax. It didn’t hurt badly, just a hot ache that felt strangely satisfying as Kuroo pushed deeper into him. Kuroo’s hands spread around his sides, his fingers splayed as he supported him completely. Kuroo bent forward once he was completely inside, his lips seeking Daichi’s. Daichi reached his arms over his shoulders and pulled him close, breathing in Kuroo as they kissed deeply.

“Let me know when I can move,” Kuroo whispered.

“Go ahead.”

Kuroo began to move his hips back and forth, his eyes squeezed shut as he concentrated on not hurting Daichi by losing control. Daichi stared up at his face, observing the way Kuroo’s hair flopped in his face as he moved and the straight line of his clenched jaw. His face was blotchy and swollen from the impact of Daichi’s fist, but he was still irritatingly handsome. It was also annoying to Daichi how good it felt to have Kuroo’s length pulsing inside of him, almost as if they were two halves to a whole.

As they both adjusted to the feeling, Kuroo began to pick up the pace. Daichi’s body rocked deeper into the bed as Kuroo’s hips plowed into him, sweat beginning to form across their skin as the temperature rose around them. Daichi’s chest heaved as he gasped for breath, his mind reeling with the incredible sensations plunging through him. He never could have imagined feeling so much pleasure from receiving, and with his oversensitivity from already cuming once he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold this time. His fingers dug into Kuroo’s back, and Kuroo leaned forward onto him, his lips catching Daichi’s as he kept the momentum going. With their bodies so close the heat was almost intoxicating.

“Kuroo, I… I can’t--”

“Me neither, don’t hold back.”

Daichi threw his head back and released moan, his fingers digging even deeper into Kuroo’s back til he was certain he was drawing blood. Kuroo’s mouth spread hot and wet on his throat, his teeth grazing his skin as they both released together. Kuroo fell limp against him as they both came down from their high, their breaths matching in tempo and their bodies melded together.

“Did you enjoy it?” Kuroo asked in a muffled voice against his chest.

Daichi chuckled, “Yeah… it was amazing.”

Kuroo hummed as he slid himself out of Daichi and fell right back down. “Good, cuz I’m gonna pass out.”

Daichi craned his head to see Kuroo’s eyes shut and his breaths slowing, seeming to be asleep already. He smirked and leaned his head back, his fingers stroking through Kuroo’s hair as he began to lose consciousness himself.

 

When Daichi woke up, the light from the window cast the room in a burnt orange glow. He blinked several times as he tried to remember where he was and why his body felt so heavy. Glancing down he observed Kuroo spread out over him and the entire bed, soft snores coming from the direction of his nose. Daichi’s skin felt clammy and damp from not cleaning himself off before, and with a grimace he attempted to slide himself out from under the limp, lanky body. It was relief to stand up and stretch, and he perked up when he spotted a basin and a water vase next to it. As he wiped his body down, his eyes looked over the mess of their clothes on the floor, freezing when they spotted a beautiful red coat among the chaos.

Daichi glanced over where Kuroo was still snoozing peacefully, bruises emerging on his body but not quite as many as Daichi would have liked. He knew he wouldn’t hold onto his grudge forever, but for now the insatiable urge to kick Kuroo where it would really hurt was still boiling in Daichi. With an evil smirk he picked the coat up quietly and brought it to a desk in the corner where he found a jar of ink and a pen. Daichi blew on the coat to try to hurry the drying along, casting glances over his shoulder to make sure his lover was still fast asleep. When he was satisfied it wouldn’t smudge, he set it on the floor with the back lying to the floor and fixed it so it looked like it hadn’t been touched, even tossing an extra shirt overtop for good measure.

Daichi tiptoed to the bed and smiled fondly at the sleeping beauty. He leaned his weight on the bed and hovered over him, raising his hand soundlessly and then slamming it down onto Kuroo’s vulnerable butt cheek. He imagined if the whole tavern didn’t hear the slap, they heard Kuroo’s shriek following behind.

“Why’d you have to do that?” Kuroo whined as he rubbed the tender spot.

“Why wouldn’t I do that? Believe it or not it’s difficult for me to resist such temptations,” Daichi teased as he leaned forward to give Kuroo a kiss. “Good morning, or good evening I should say.”

Kuroo smiled and leaned in for a return kiss. “Good evening, you could stay longer you know.”

Daichi shook his head and straightened up. “Sorry, I can’t. We were only stopping by briefly to pick up some supplies. I’m sure my crew’s wondering where I am.”

Kuroo’s smile had faded when Daichi informed him of his impending departure, and a blossom of guilt spread in Daichi’s chest. Kuroo shook it off though and winced as he slithered out of the bed. “I think the whole island knows you’re in here with me, so I don’t think you need to worry. Ah hell, I feel like I got run over by a carriage and then chewed up by a shark. What did you do to me?”

“Nothing you didn’t deserve,” Daichi chuckled as he they sorted their clothes and yanked them onto their aching bodies. Kuroo was just reaching for his coat when Daichi gripped onto his arm. “Here, let me at least help you with this.”

“Oh, thanks Sawamura!”

Daichi suppressed the urge to laugh as he slipped Kuroo’s coat on him, so he couldn’t see Daichi’s decorative addition. They made their way down the stairs to see the tavern was full and lively with most of Karasuno’s crew seated around a large table. Daichi cocked his head as he observed a stranger among them, a cheerful pirate in a light blue coat who was leaning toward Tsukishima, looking as if he was divulging some valuable secrets.

“...And when that moment happens for you, I guarantee it’ll get you hooked on piracy!”

“Corrupting the young, Bokuto?” Kuroo jeered as he shoved Bokuto’s chair with his foot.

“Hey, hey, hey! Looks like the lovebirds emerged!” He jumped up from his chair and surged toward Daichi, his hands reaching out and grasping Daichi’s. “It’s nice to meet you, Sawamura! I’m Bokuto Kotarou!”

“Captain Bokuto of the Fukurodani?”

“Yup, that’s me! I actually stopped by the island you were marooned on to make sure you were alright, but you had already been rescued.”

“Oh, thank you! I appreciate it all the same.” Daichi smiled back at the goofy man and shook his hand.

“Do you? I wonder how appreciative you would have been if I had been the one to rescue you.” Bokuto’s voice had dropped and gripping his hand tighter he pulled Daichi toward him with a smirk. “Perhaps something might have happened between us instead?” He gave an obvious wink to Daichi, and suddenly he realized what he was doing.

A wicked grin spread across Daichi’s face as he leaned in toward Bokuto. “Well, I am a man who always rewards a great kindness.”

“Oy!” Kuroo grumbled as he wrapped his arms around Daichi’s front, pulling him back. “Get your own lover, you weasel!”

Bokuto shrugged as he scratched his head. “Is he _yours_ though?”

Kuroo craned his head around to meet Daichi’s gaze.

“What? I never said we were exclusive.”

Kuroo’s face fell into a comical pout when they heard a scoff from across the table.

“Don’t worry, Captain Kuroo. Our captain’s stuck on you like an idiot.” Suga’s words were beginning to slur, and as he finished knocked back the rest of his glass.

Daichi glanced at Asahi next to him. “How much as he had?”

“Too much, he’s moping cuz he wants to head back quickly.”

Daichi rolled his eyes. “Is everything else ready to go?”

Yamaguchi perked up and nodded vigorously. “Yup, ready to go, Captain!”

Daichi shook Kuroo off and turned toward him. “I’ll see you around, but if I see you out on the ocean you better stay the hell away, got it?”

Kuroo gave him a salute and a wink. “Yes, Sir.”

Daichi huffed out a laugh and turned toward the door, just as it was creaking open and revealing someone he did not expect. “Ukai-san!” The entire Karasuno crew perked up and turned toward Ukai, who hovered in the doorway with a dark look on his face. Daichi’s stomach dropped as he walked toward his mentor. “Is everything alright? I’m glad to see you, we have the money to pay back Lady Yachi and we were wondering how to get it back to her.”

Ukai sighed heavily and shook his head. “That’ll have to wait. Lady Yachi, she--” Ukai closed his eyes, and Daichi could see his jaw clenching with stress.

“Ukai-san? What’s wrong with Lady Yachi?”

Ukai opened his eyes, and Daichi could see they were bloodshot with dark circles underneath from lack of sleep. “Lady Yachi’s been kidnapped… by Ushijima.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, if you feel that's not enough suffering for Kuroo, keep in mind this is a long story and there'll be plenty of opportunities for Daichi to punch his face, ha ha ha. I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter, smut's always hard for me to do. For some reason the fight scenes are way more fun for me to write, hmmmm.  
> As always I really appreciate your positive comments. Not sure if I've ever mentioned this before but if any of you are too shy to say something on here, you can always PM me on tumblr! Especially if some of you are coming over here from there. I soak in every little encouragement and it goes right back into inspiration for a shiny new chapter :D


	10. Love comes when you least expect it

“She was kidnapped?” Daichi repeated under his breath, his eyes wide with disbelief. He gasped and turned his eyes back to Ukai. “My parents?!”

“They’re fine, your mother was asleep, and your father was simply knocked out, though he got a nasty goose egg on his head from it. The crew of the Shiratorizawa just swept in, snatched Lady Yachi from her bed and jumped back on ship. They’ve completely disappeared.”

“What about Oikawa? Have you asked for his help?”

“Yup, and he’ll have the Commodore and his other men keep an eye out for Ushijima.”

“ _Keep an eye out?!_ He was trying to marry her several weeks ago, is that the best he can do?”

Ukai sighed and took a seat at the table, motioning for Daichi to do the same. Kuroo and Bokuto joined them as well, intrigued by the new developments. “He claims he has his own issues to worry about, whatever that means. I’d look more into it if it wasn’t for Lady Yachi. Have you heard anything about the Shiratorizawa recently?”

Daichi shook his head, “No, I haven’t heard a thing. Ushijima’s one of the most elusive and aggressive pirates in the Caribbean, this isn’t going to be easy.” He started when he felt a warm hand grasp his shoulder. He turned slightly to see Kuroo’s face leaning in toward his own.

“I’ll go chat with Terushima and see if he’s heard anything, I’ll be right back,” He murmured, standing up slowly and giving Daichi’s shoulder a squeeze.

“Yeah… thanks,” Daichi replied, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly. He turned back to Ukai who was staring after Kuroo, his eyes squinting in confusion. Daichi looked back and groaned. Across Kuroo’s back was the outline of a penis (He made sure to make the shaft fairly small) with the words _Captain Dickhead_ scrawled above it. Bokuto glanced to where they were looking and nearly choked on his tongue. Through a series of muffled snorts, he leaned in toward Daichi.

“Did you do that?! That’s hilarious! He freakin’ loves that coat, too.”

“Yeah, I did it earlier. It was a lot funnier before this whole thing with Lady Yachi though.”

“Can’t you just pay the ransom? You’ve got a lot of cash on you, don’t ya?”

“He didn’t ask for a ransom,” Ukai interjected. “No note, no request, threats, nothing.”

Bokuto straightened up in seat. “Nothing? Why the hell did he take her then?”

“Was it political?” Daichi asked. “Maybe he heard of Oikawa’s plans to marry her, and carried her off to prevent him from ruling over the entire Caribbean?”

Ukai nodded, tapping his brass hook against his lips as he thought. “That may be the only explanation we can come up with for the time being.” He glanced up as Kuroo was making his way back toward them.

“Terushima says Ushijima hasn’t been in for a long time, which is strange for him. And the last time he was in he said nothing about what he was planning. Oh, by the way, Terushima says Sleepy Eyes owes him a blow job?”

Daichi glanced over at Ennoshita, whose face flushed a brilliant shade of red and glaring over at the winking bartender. Daichi smirked and turned back to Kuroo.

“Where does Ushijima typically patrol?”

“He likes hitting the big islands especially, proving that he’s the strongest. But if he’s got a captive he’ll probably lay low for a while.”

Daichi nodded as he stood up. “Then we’ll start by circling the larger islands. We can’t waste any time.”

Ukai held up a hand to keep him from running out the door. “Daichi, be careful going through that area. Iwaizumi isn’t actively looking for you, but if he sees you he’ll attack. I’m going to stay here for a while in case any information comes through here. I can send you a raven if I find anything out.”

“Excellent, and I’ll try to send word back to you about where I’ve checked. Let’s go, Karasuno!”

“Aye!” They all jumped up and ran out the door, none as fast as Suga who nearly ran into the wall beside the door.

“Sawamura,” Kuroo said beside him, drawing Daichi’s attention from his exiting crew. “We’re about to head out ourselves. I know it doesn’t mean much coming from me, but we’ll keep an eye out for Ushijima.”

Daichi blinked at him in surprise. “You will?”

“Yeah, I mean I don’t wanna get in a fight with the guy if I don’t have to, but I’ll at least alert you to where he is, maybe keep track of him.”

“No, that’s fine, that’s all I ask anyways. I don’t want Lady Yachi caught up in a fight. Well… until next time,” Daichi said softly, his brown eyes looking up at Kuroo and melting his heart. Kuroo smiled and stepped forward, leaning down to meet Daichi’s lips. His face was halted when Daichi grabbed his nose and squeezed it. Daichi chuckled and tugged until Kuroo’s face was alongside his.

“You didn’t think I’d be that easy, did you?” Daichi whispered, letting his lips gently graze his ear. As he pulled back, he did treat Kuroo with a single peck on the cheek before releasing his nose. “Nice to meet you, Bokuto. Terushima, you can sort out your bill with Ennoshita next time!”

“You know I will, thanks Captain!” Terushima called back as Daichi gave one last wave over his shoulder and disappeared through the door.

“Dammit… he’s so cool,” Kuroo muttered as he rubbed his sore nose.

Bokuto nodded next to him. “He really is… a true artist too,” He snickered as he glanced at Kuroo’s back.

“Artist? What do you mean?”

“Nothing… you’ll find out later.”

 

For an entire week the Karasuno swept around the larger islands, scouring every ocean wave for any sign of the Shiratorizawa. Every time they were certain they knew where he’d be, their search would end in vain. The mood amongst the crew was low as their imaginations ran wild with what tortures Ushijima was inflicting on their innocent Lady Yachi. No one felt it more than Daichi. She was like a little sister to him, and though he was always away he felt extremely protective over her. The anger he had felt toward Kuroo for taking away his ship was nothing compared to the wrath he felt for Ushijima. His fists were perpetually clenched as he wondered what horrors Yachi was experiencing and how pathetically helpless he felt the longer it took to rescue her.

Tsukishima seemed to have the most important job among them as he studied his maps, marking off where they had already searched and trying to work out their next move. Eventually Daichi’s cabin was too small to contain his maps since he preferred them spread out. They decided to set Tsukishima up on Saga Island, so he could create his own space that would be easier to work from. He chose to convert the smaller cavern into his office since they could fit a long table in there, and it was quieter than the main space where most of the crew hung out. Daichi left him there to get set up and work on their next plan while he took some of the crew to restock their supplies on Johzenji.

He stood with his back toward the cavern’s lagoon, his hands spread out over several maps as his eyes flickered over them. His head was pounding, the strain from focusing too long taking its toll, but he ignored it. Others regarded his cool attitude as proof of his lack of affection or loyalty, but that wasn’t how he felt at all. It was true that there were many things he felt were unworthy of an emotional response, but he cared more about the people in his life than he let on. Like many of the crew members, his family had been indebted to the Yachi family, even assisting him in his own education when his intelligence gained a reputation. If he couldn’t even use his training to help find their only daughter, then what good was he?

The maps began to grow blurry from staring at them for so long, and Tsukishima slipped his glasses off and rubbed some relief into them. As soon as he was able to rewet them enough to focus, he replaced his glasses and frowned at the mess in front of him. He squinted, as if unfocusing everything would help him see a pattern from the pins scattered across, but nothing sparked any elusive revelation.

“Tsukishima?” Hinata’s voice called softly beside him.

“What?” He answered curtly, not even removing his eyes from the maps.

“I brought some food for you, you need to eat.”

“There’s no way I’d eat food you made.”

“I didn’t make it! Narita-san did,” His voice pouted, and Tsukishima suppressed a smile.

“Just set it over there somewhere, I’ll get to it later.”

“But it’s warm _now_. If you don’t eat it now I’m gonna set it right on your maps.”

Tsukishima flinched and glared at Hinata. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Hinata beamed up at him, the light from his smile warming the entire vicinity in that weird way it always did. Sometimes Tsukishima wondered if Hinata had fairy blood in him, which would explain the reason he could jump so absurdly high.

“I wouldn’t do that, but it got you to look at me and this _delicious_ looking food, right?” Hinata held the tray up with some grilled fish and soup, complete with a steaming cup of tea. The fresh smell wafted up to Tsukishima, and his stomach betrayed him with a frightening growl. Hinata snorted and walked away with his food, setting it down on some steps built into the rocky ground and motioned for Tsukishima to sit next to it.

Tsukishima hesitated, glancing back to the maps and then to Hinata. He sighed and trudged over to the steps and sat down to eat. “Fine, but I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t bother me again.”

Hinata just laughed and wandered over to the edge of the water. “I won’t, I know the less I bother you, the more likely it is we’ll find Lady Yachi.” He bent over and scooped up a stone from the ground. He observed it closely, letting his fingers smooth over it and nodded. Hinata spread his legs out as his eyes focused on the water, and drawing his arm back he snapped it forward, the stone releasing from his hand and skipping across the water. The lagoon inside the cavern was protected and typically as still as a mirror, but the stone sent a flurry of ripples across it and sent dancing rings of light flickering across the ceiling.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes as he chewed his fish. “Don’t you have anywhere else to be? Where’s your usual playmate?”

Hinata smirked as he searched for another stone. “Kageyama went with the Captain, mainly cuz he can carry a lot.” He snapped a fresh stone into the water, sending it nearly to the mouth of the cave.

“It must be disheartening not to have any redeeming qualities. The King may be stupid, but at least he’s got muscles, huh?”

Hinata turned and frowned at him. “I have redeeming qualities!”

“Oh?” He asked, hiding his smirk in his teacup as he took a sip.

Hinata opened his mouth to retort when there was a sound of a stone skipping across the water behind him. He whirled around just in time for the stone to skid into his shoe. He blinked at it, recognizing it as the last rock he had just tossed in. Hinata looked up to see a beautiful face floating above the churned-up water.

“Hi Shimizu-san!” He called with a friendly wave. She gave him a small smile and a slight curl of her fingers to greet him back.

“Careful,” Tsukishima leered behind him. “I’m not sure what Suga-san would do if he caught you flirting with his girlfriend.”

Hinata laughed as he turned back to him. “Suga-san knows she only has eyes for him. And don’t worry, as beautiful as Shimizu-san is, she’s not who I’m interested in.” Hinata pursed his lips as Tsukishima choked on his tea, a slight blush forming on his cheeks.

“What are you talking about?” He sputtered as he wiped his mouth off on his sleeve. Hinata smiled at him as he moved closer. Tsukishima’s eyes widened when Hinata crouched in front of him, leaning forward into his space.

“It’s okay, you know. I mean, the Captain likes Captain Rooster Head, and Ennoshita-san likes Mr. Close-cropped hair, so it’s not as if we’d be the only ones who are in love with another man, you know?”

“Wait, wait, Hinata, we’re not-- I’m not--”

“You’re… not?” Hinata repeated, the smile falling away from his face, his eyes sad and so large Tsukishima thought he lose himself in them. He began to panic when he thought Hinata might actually cry.

“No, that’s not what I meant, I just-- Why would you think I was?”

Hinata bit his lip, holding any tears back while he thought about it. “Well, I guess the thunderstorm was my first hint. The first night we were marooned.” He glanced back at Tsukishima, whose eyebrows were furrowed as he tried to figure out what he meant. Hinata gulped and continued. “The four of us were huddled in our shelter, and I was so cold I couldn’t get to sleep. You slipped your coat over me, and when I still kept shivering you snuggled up and wrapped your arms around me.”

“What-- no that must have been Yamaguchi.”

“Yamaguchi doesn’t have a coat like this, and neither does Kageyama. Even if it wasn’t for the coat, I know it was you.”

Tsukishima moved the tray of half eaten food to the side, worried his trembling limbs might break something if he didn’t. “Hinata, whether I did it or not, why would that mean I’m in love with you?”

“It’s not the only hint I had, I said it was the _first_ one.” With a huff he leaned in closer and grabbed hold of the lapel of his coat. “Why can’t you just admit how you feel about me, Stingyshima?!”

Before Tsukishima could say anything else, Hinata plunged his face forward and kissed him hard. He winced since it was awkward and stung a little bit when Hinata’s nose hit his face, but he didn’t pull away. He closed his eyes as Hinata’s lips grew softer, inhaling as he opened his mouth slightly. Inside Tsukishima was freaking out. He knew things had been changing slightly between them, but he wasn’t ready to admit it. Why was Hinata forcing it out of him when they had so much to worry about. He needed to concentrate on finding Yachi and not the scent of Hinata’s skin, the heat from his tongue as it slid into his mouth, or the sweet little sound he was making as he kissed him deeper. Tsukishima’s breath shuddered as the sensations overwhelmed him, and finally he couldn’t stand it any longer. He wrapped his long arms around Hinata’s slender body and pulled him in closer, his skin tingling as he felt Hinata slide his hands further up until his fingers were curling in his hair.

They were so entwined in each other they had completely forgotten the only other person in the cavern, watching curiously from the surface of the water. Shimizu’s eyes grew as she stared at the pair, pressing their faces together and their cheeks brightening from the action. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, and Shimizu wondered if Sugawara would enjoy it as well. Tentatively she pressed her fingers to her lips, imagining the handsome man’s lips against them. She gasped and dropped into the water, hoping the coolness would calm her racing heart.

 

Several hours later Captain Sawamura and the rest of the crew were rowing through the fog with their boat full of supplies.

“Is something wrong, Suga?”

“Hmm? No, it’s just that usually Shimizu is around here to greet us. I hope nothing’s wrong.”

“I wonder if she’s in the lagoon. We’ve caught her there more often lately watching the younger one’s antics.”

Suga smiled warmly and nodded. “Yes, perhaps you’re right. We’ll probably see her once we--” Suddenly the water next to the boat split apart as Shimizu surged up. She grabbed Suga from behind and yanked him out of the boat, dragging him under the water’s surface.

“Suga!!” Daichi cried as the other crew members looked around frantically.

“Daichi, I don’t see them anywhere,” Asahi said, his voice quavering as his eyes flickered around.

“Shit, I thought we could trust her. Suga!”

“I’m okay!” Suga’s voice called from a distance beyond the wall of white.

“Where the hell did you go?!”

“Uh...oh gosh, ummmm just some ways away,” His voice sounded muffled toward the end, followed by a pleased moan. “Just go on withOUT me! He he he, stop that, Shimizu.”

They all relaxed when they realized what was going on, a few snickers floating amongst them. Daichi released a long sigh and shook his head. “Tell Shimizu not to keep you out too long, or you’ll catch something.”

Suga giggled again, his breathing a little louder. “I will, Captain. Um, you should go, I think she’s wanting a little privacy.”

Daichi smirked and motioned for Asahi and Kageyama to resume their rowing. “Alright, remember we’re leaving as soon as Tsukishima has a new route for us to try.” He only received an affirmative hum back as the sound of splashing and moans drifted toward them, and Asahi and Kageyama rowed harder before they heard anything that would give them nightmares.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha, I can't help myself, sticking in a bunch of ships, and I've been DYING to do a TsukiHina for ages now. Similar to KTMBC I feel like I'll add some one shots later giving a bit more time to each couple.   
> As always, love comments, love messages, your feedback is always appreciated!


	11. A fox walks into a hen house

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare yourself... by the end of writing this chapter I had these mysterious fluffy hearts floating above my head, I have no idea where they came from

“Oikawa, calm down,” Iwaizumi growled, but it had little effect on the Governor as he paced in his office.

“How can I be calm, Iwa-chan? _He’s_ coming here to fix everything apparently, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ve officially lost control and now I don’t think I can get it back.”

“Why not just let him help? It’s been chaos, is it so bad not being able to handle everything on our own?”

“That’s not the point! If he was just coming in, helping and then leaving that would be one thing. But I know his kind. He acts all serious and humble, but he’ll end up taking everything from me. Iwa-chan… I can’t let him do that.”

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “You have little choice, idiot. He’s under orders from the King.”

Oikawa clicked his tongue but knew his lover was right. His hands were tied in this case, and he _hated_ having his hands tied. For several years he had enjoyed controlling the area with nothing but his own skills and the assistance of the Commodore. In only a month the pleasant order he had cultivated was thrown into chaos by several events, starting with Captain Sawamura’s capture by the Nekoma. Then he went rogue himself, and Lady Yachi was kidnapped by that bastard Ushijima and he had yet to hear of any word of them. Oikawa clenched his jaw as his mind was consumed by the fearsome pirate, the one who always seemed to get the better of him. He’s certain he took Lady Yachi away only because of their rumored engagement. It was as if everything Ushijima did was to personally spite him, and he loathed him for it. An itch spread through his clenched fist, just craving to personally take the menace down for good.

There was a polite knock at the door, interrupting Oikawa’s murderous thoughts.

“Who is it?” Oikawa grumbled.

“It’s Admiral Kita, Governor Oikawa, with my two companions.” His voice was quiet and polite, and yet Oikawa released a hissed breath between his teeth as he tried to regain his composure. Iwaizumi reached out and gave his shoulder a squeeze, and he felt some of his stress melt away.

“Oh, do come in, Admiral!” Oikawa called out in a jovial tone, his mask of politeness locked in place. The door opened to reveal Admiral Kita, his elegant uniform looking almost ridiculous on his slender and inconspicuous frame. Behind him were the infamous Miya twins looking almost like bodyguards as they entered in after the admiral. Atsumu wore his irritating smirk as always as his eyes looked over Oikawa. Osamu’s eyes drifted lazily around the room, though both Oikawa and Iwaizumi knew they were actually absorbing whatever information he could glean.

“Please have a seat. Well, _you_ can have a seat, I’m afraid your companions will have to stand.”

Kita stepped toward him and nodded in politeness. “Do not worry about us, Governor. We will not be here long since we have so much work to do. I simply wanted to pay my respects.”

Oikawa narrowed his eyes but kept the smile on his face. “Of course, but you really didn’t need to come all this way, I have everything under control!”

Admiral Kita blinked his soft grey eyes at Oikawa. “You have captured all the pirates attacking our ports and merchants then?”

“No, not yet.”

“Had the Lady Yachi been located?”

“No, but we have some good leads as to where--”

“Have you captured any pirates at all?”

Oikawa’s fingers were trembling as they wanted to knock the shorter man senseless, but he knew it would do little good. The Admiral meant none of his questioning in a malicious way, and yet somehow that made Oikawa feel worse. “ _No_ , Admiral. We haven’t.”

“Then it seems that The Inarizaki was needed here. I have also contacted Captain Moniwa and he’s coming in to assist as well.”

“But I sent the Dateko to patrol the northern trade routes, they’re needed there!”

Admiral Kita nodded. “They are needed there, but I would say the situation here has grown dire. Once all the pirates are exterminated from the Caribbean, he will return to his other duties. Now, if you’ll excuse me we need to plan our next move. Commodore, will you join us? We have a room down at the tavern we can use.”

“Why can’t you just plan here?” Oikawa seethed, his hand motioning around his office.

The Admiral cocked his head as he observed him. “We wouldn’t want to bother you while you work. Like I said, we will handle this, so you don’t have to worry, Governor.” Before Oikawa could protest he gave him a bow and turned out of the room, one Miya twin following in silence while the other snickered on his way out.

Oikawa felt his vision grow red until he felt Iwaizumi’s presence beside him.

“Don’t break anything. I’ll be back in a bit,” His voice was low and reassuring, but this time there was no calming the rage boiling within Oikawa. Iwaizumi sensed he was about to blow and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. As soon as the door was shut he heard multiple objects crashing into the wall. The two soldiers on guard slid their eyes to the door behind Iwaizumi, but he just shook his head.

“I wouldn’t go in there right now. In fact, maybe let him have the day to himself.”

“Aye, aye,” They both muttered and turned their faces straight ahead, ignoring the various objects ricocheting off the door.

 

The tension was palpable throughout the crew of the Karasuno. It had been two full weeks since Lady Yachi had been kidnapped, and there was still no trace of her or The Shiratorizawa. No previous failure had ever brought their spirits so low, in fact they were notorious for rising above it. It was nearly impossible, however, when their lack of success meant Lady Yachi was still at the mercy of Ushijima. Not only did Daichi feel the stress for his own inadequacies, his heart ached knowing his crew members were blaming themselves as well. There was hardly any joking amongst Tanaka and Nishinoya, and Asahi kept himself busy cleaning his equipment with no sign of a smile or fretting. Even Hinata’s hair seemed less bright as he continuously rotated in the Crow’s Nest, not allowing any chance he would miss anything. Tsukishima seemed to take it personally, determined to crack the puzzle of where Ushijima was hiding.

Daichi sighed and gazed out at the open water surrounding them. The salty breeze caressing his face, the gulls calling out to each other, the roll of the waves beneath them, all of it meant freedom to him. They _had_ meant that, but Daichi couldn’t help but feel the imaginary ropes cutting into his skin the longer it took to sight the elusive pirate ship they were seeking.

They were circling Edo Island when suddenly Hinata cried out, “Captain! I see a ship hiding just around the corner!”

“Can you tell who it is?!”

He saw Hinata hold up his own spyglass as he tried to make out the details. He jerked it down in surprise and met Daichi’s gaze. “It looks like the Nekoma, but they have a different flag up.”

“The Nekoma? What flag are they presenting?”

“A white one, Captain! And it looks like the crew are waving us down.”

A smirk curled on his lips and he nodded. He had warned Kuroo to run away if they met on the open water, but waving the white flag meant they weren’t looking for trouble. And if they were waving them down perhaps they had information. “Yamaguchi, turn us about and get us closer.”

They dropped anchor not too far from the Nekoma, and the Captain and a couple crew members took a longboat to a nearby beach where he could see Kuroo waiting with a few crew members of his own. The Nekoma pirates helped them pull in their boat as Daichi hopped out into the shallow waves, eager to speak with his arch rival and lover.

“Sawamura! Good to see you,” Kuroo greeted him with his usual grin. Daichi gave him a smile of his own and clenched his fist next to his side. Before he could swing, Kuroo surged forward and pressed his lips against Daichi’s, wrapping his arms around him tight. Daichi stiffened in surprise, but it was difficult to fight against him when his lips felt so good. He closed his eyes and melted into the kiss but squealed when Kuroo dipped him to the side and let his tongue slip into his mouth.

 _This cocky bastard_ , Daichi thought, and he planted his feet firmly as he gripped onto Kuroo’s waist. He used all his strength to twist his body and throw Kuroo down onto the hot sand underneath him. Before Kuroo could react, Daichi sat down on top of him and propped his elbow on his knee, resting his chin on his palm.

“Thinking you were just gonna get your way again, huh?”

Kuroo laughed and shrugged. “It was worth a shot. I missed your sexy kisses.”

“Uh huh… where’s your coat?”

The smile slid off Kuroo’s face, and his bottom lip slipped forward. He was dressed in a regular black shirt and black pants, no glorious captain’s coat resting on his shoulders to help him stand out from his crew. “That was a cheap shot, Sawamura. How could you do that to my precious coat?”

“You took my ship away and sold it. You think a coat is worth as much as a ship?”

Kuroo sniffed and looked away. “No,” He answered in a reluctant voice, and Daichi laughed. He slid his knees down so he was straddling Kuroo and leaned down, grabbing hold of Kuroo’s pout with his own lips. He felt Kuroo’s lips curl into a smile, and his arms slipping around his neck to pull him deeper.

“Ahem! Didn’t you two have some things to discuss?!” Yaku’s voice called from not far away, and Daichi jerked up in surprise. His face flushed red as he glanced over his shoulder to see his Suga and Asahi snickering along with Kuroo’s crew members. Daichi cleared his throat and held out his hand to help Kuroo up onto his feet. Kuroo just chuckled as he shook the sand from his mess of black hair.

“It’s easy to forget we’re not alone.”

“I know. So, do you have any information on Ushijima?”

From the disheartening look on Kuroo’s face, Daichi felt his hope fade like a breath in frigid air. “No, I’m sorry. Nobody’s heard a lick of them, which is strange. I’ll keep my eyes open, but I think you need to let it go for now.”

Daichi flinched in surprise. “What? Abandon Lady Yachi?! Why would I do that?”

“Because something else is happening and you need to be careful. Another one of His Majesty’s ships have arrived to hunt us down. We all need to lay low for a while until the threat passes.”

“What ship is it?”

“The Inarizaki.”

A flash of fear careened through Daichi’s veins. He had heard rumors of the King’s best pirate hunters, and now they were here. It was still strange that he should fear the Imperial Navy, but he had made his choice when he chased after his beloved ship that he would no longer be part of that world. He glanced over at his friends, watching him speak to Kuroo as they chatted with the others. Even more than his loyalty to his ship, he cared for his crew above all. He should do as Kuroo suggested and hide for a while, but Yachi was a part of them as well.

He turned back and shook his head. “I can’t stop searching for Lady Yachi.”

Kuroo’s face pinched with an emotion Daichi couldn’t place. “Who is she to you, that you’d risk your life for her? Isn’t she just some noblewoman?”

“No, she’s much more than that. It’s almost as if she’s part of our crew, though she never sailed with us. Her family has protected Miyagi for years, and many of us owe everything to them. Yachi herself gave us money and weapons to fetch our ship when you had sold it.”

For once Kuroo didn’t look guilty for his past actions, his face darkening even further. “So, are you and her… is she one of your past lovers?”

Despite the seriousness of their situation, Daichi snorted. “Is _that_ what you’re worried about?! Oh, hell, Kuroo. No, she’s not a past lover, or a current one before you ask. I was raised as her servant; my father is her butler! Honestly, I’ve always thought of her as a little sister, I can’t help but be protective over her.”

The darkness faded from Kuroo’s face as he released a sigh. “Thank God, I heard she was cute, I thought she was another rival.”

“Another one?”

“Never mind. Look, I can see you still want to look for her, just be careful.” He glanced over to the Karasuno, which was floating next to his own. “In particular, you may want to lower that pretty new flag waving up there.”

Daichi smiled as he looked over. Fluttering on their mast was a flag they had designed just for them made of scarlet cloth with a black crow in the center in midflight, like a mysterious grim reaper in a sea of blood. “Oh that… you like it?”

“Yes, I do, it certainly grabs attention. I didn’t realize you were so flashy, Sawamura.”

“I don’t typically care about standing out, but I don’t mind being intimidating.”

Kuroo chuckled as he smiled at him, the look filled with fondness and warmth. “I can see that, but for now, My Love, please try to be less conspicuous.” He reached his hand out and grazed his fingers against Daichi’s face. Heat blossomed from the points of his fingertips and spread across Daichi’s face. He couldn’t wrap his head around the moments of pure gentleness from Kuroo. It was so alluring he felt like snuggling up in the other man’s arms like a kitten, despite the tumultuous start to whatever kind of relationship they had with each other.

Daichi gulped and glanced away. “I have to go. Two pirate ships sitting next to each other is bound to attract some attention.” Kuroo’s fingers slipped down to his chin and pulled his face back toward him with his lips waiting. This time Daichi didn’t try to find a way out of the kiss. He gripped his fingers into Kuroo’s shirt and pulled him in deeper, enjoying the exchange of heat and breaths before they had to part for an indefinite amount of time.

Reluctantly they parted, and Daichi gazed up at Kuroo with his brown eyes brimming with sadness. Kuroo knew he was a dead man when Daichi looked at him like that. At that moment Daichi probably could have requested him to do something ridiculous and he would have obeyed without question.

“Be careful yourself, Kuroo. I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah…” Kuroo said dreamily and watched as Daichi gave him one last smile before walking away. He waved at Asahi and Suga to prepare the boat for their departure. After saying goodbye to the others, they shoved off and rowed toward the Karasuno.

“Captain?” Suga asked. “What did Kuroo have to say? The others didn’t tell us much, just that it had nothing to do with Lady Yachi.”

“The Inarizaki has arrived, sent from his Majesty to hunt down us pirates. We need to be even more careful than before.”

Asahi groaned next to him. “I hope we find her soon.”

Daichi lowered his eyes to the clear, blue water underneath them and nodded. “So do I.”

 

Miyagi Island was often referred to as the gem of the Caribbean. The warmth of the people could be felt from all corners, and it had one of the most lucrative ports for trade and commerce. On the western side of the island was a large bay filled with fishing boats floating in the harbor. The sun had dipped below the waters, the sky darkening from a violet to a deep blue with shimmering stars casting their celestial designs across the expanse. The rickety fishing boats had dropped their anchors for the night, with their lanterns lit and their songs of entertainment echoing throughout the bay. Hidden amongst the boats was one lone ship that was larger than the rest but remained still and quiet. The crew of the Shiratorizawa were solemn as they stood on the main deck, a few chewing their fingernails as they waited. Underneath a lantern was a long table where Tendou Satori worked, humming a cheerful tune as the sound of metal slicing across metal cut through the air.

The hatchway door flew open and Captain Ushijima Wakatoshi rose from the depths of the ship. He was dressed in a handsome maroon coat, an expensive white shirt underneath with ruffles emerging from the sleeves and at his neck. A sapphire broach glistened in the flickering light, as did the many large rings decorating his fingers. Despite the beauty of his adornments, Ushijima himself was as stern as a mountain, his jaw sharp and his eyes dark with purpose.

“Tendou… is it ready?” He asked in his deep, rumbling voice.

“Yes, Sir!” Tendou sang out as he held a tray out in front of him. The candlelight from the lanterns reflected on the various metallic items on the tray, casting an eerie glow across Tendou’s smirking face. Ushijima walked toward him and took the tray from his hands.

“Shirabu. Open the door.”

Shirabu was standing next to the cabin door and quickly stood up straight, nodding vigorously as his hand reached out to turn the handle. As the door creaked open, Ushijima took a deep breath and entered the room. Yachi’s piercing scream rang out, and Ushijima flinched at the sound. Hot tea spilled down the front of his coat before the china cup fell to the floor and shattered. The silverware clattered down as well as he tried to regain his hold on the tray, various foods mixing together on the plate and some of it dribbling off before he could catch it. He rushed out of the room and rested his back against the cabin window and nodded to Shirabu, who shut the door to drown out Yachi’s frightened screams.

The crew stared back at him with wide eyes while he caught his breath. He licked his lips and said, “I… don’t think that went very well.”

There was an obnoxious snort and Tendou fell forward onto his knees, bracing his sides as he degenerated into a fit of giggles. “Ha, ha, haaaaa, that was so funny, Captain! Oh my, I think that was the loudest scream she’s had yet.”

Ushijima straightened up and walked forward, handing the tray to Semi. “It’s not funny, Tendou. We’ve had her for two weeks and she has hardly eaten anything. I will not have her starve, what do we do?”

Semi set the tray down on the table and exchanged the plate for a fresh one. “Perhaps someone else should go in? Just for now, and maybe that person can talk to her about you? Ease her into it, so to speak.”

Oohira nodded, “I agree. No offense, Captain, but you can be a little intimidating.” He rolled his eyes when Tendou erupted into more giggles and fell the rest of the way onto the deck.

Ushijima slumped his shoulders, and guilt flooded the crew to see him so downhearted. “Very well, who would be best?”

Tendou took deep breaths as he tried to settle down. He flicked the tears from his eyes and sat up. “What about Shirabu? He’s a little cutie pie.”

Shirabu scrunched his nose. “I’m not _cute_ , you asshole.”

Semi turned and gave him a lethal scowl. “He’s first mate, Shirabu, pay him proper respect.”

“Tch… sorry, _Tendou-san_.”

Tendou shook his head. “Yeah, not Shirabu… he’s a cutie pie, and a little shit. Goshiki?”

“I will go! I will give her food and _force_ her to eat it! And I’ll make her drink too, I’ll take the whole pot of tea in and--”

“Nope! Not Goshiki then.”

The rest of the crew stepped back, all of them strangely nervous to be in the company of a young, innocent girl who had a propensity to scream whenever someone entered the room. Ushijima and Tendou shared a look and both their eyes drifted to Semi’s back. As if he felt the stare, his back stiffened.

“Not me.”

Tendou snorted, “Why not?”

“Because I’ve been told that my face frightens little children.”

Ushijima reached out and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Please, Semi, I don’t want her to starve. She will sense your kindness.”

Semi sighed and poured another cup of tea. He lifted the tray up and turned around with his chin held high. “Alright, I’ll do it. Shirabu, open the door. And someone get a broom to clean up the mess inside.”

Cautiously Shirabu opened the door and Semi stepped inside. Lady Yachi was shivering in the corner beside the bed, and her eyes grew wide when Semi stepped through.

“My Lady, please! _Please_ do not scream, it’s alright. I’ve got some food, I’m just gonna go over here and set it down, okay?” Semi was frozen, keeping his eyebrows from furrowing down in an attempt to not frighten her more. Yachi closed her mouth and gave a little nod but didn’t move away from her spot. Semi gave her a smile and not making any sudden movements shuffled around the porcelain shards and set the tray on the table. The room was dark since it was difficult for them to enter to light any fresh candles, so Semi took his time switching them out and lighting them up. When he turned around, he saw Yachi standing behind a bed post but a little closer than before.

“Is it okay if I clean up the mess while you eat?”

She pursed her lips and nodded. Semi walked back over to the cabin door and gave a little knock. The door creaked open just side enough to slip in a broom and dust pan. While Semi swept up the shards, Yachi crept passed him to the table and sat down.

“Thank you, umm…”

“Semi, My Lady.”

“Thank you, Semi.”

“My pleasure, let me know if you need anything. And…” He turned toward her, and she glanced his way with a mouth full of bread. “We’re not going to hurt you, ever. That was never our intention. Especially the Captain. I know he looks scary, but inside he’s a big teddy bear.”

Yachi sputtered on her tea and set it down to dab a napkin at her chin. “A teddy bear?” She asked, a smile creeping on her face.

Semi smiled back at her. “It’s true, especially towards you. He really likes you, My Lady.”

Her mouth dropped open. “He likes me? He doesn’t even know me, and why would he kidnap me if he likes me?!”

Semi finished sweeping and shoved the broom and shards out the door and closed it. He straightened himself up and turned towards her. “My Lady, can I sit down with you?”

She hesitated, but after a moment nodded. “Thank you. You may not know the Captain, except for rumors about how dangerous he is and such. I won’t lie to you; the rumors are probably true.”

“You mean he made a deal with the devil and has demons bent to his will to eat up the whole world and--” She stopped when Semi began to laugh.

“No, no, do people actually say that? I mean about him raiding villages and probably killing soldiers and such.”

“Oh… well that’s still awful.”

“It’s a matter of perspective, but he’s actually a fair man, and a great Captain. As for him knowing you, he does in a way? We’ve been spending time in Miyagi doing a little reconnaissance because we were planning to hit the port when certain merchant ships came in. But while we were there he witnessed you spending time in the town, being kind to everyone and handling so much yourself. You impressed him, charmed him, really. He decided out of respect for you we would leave the port and attack another area, but he couldn’t forget about you. I probably shouldn’t say more than that, I think he would want to talk to you himself.”

Yachi stiffened and bit her lip. “He’s going to come back in here?”

“Probably… My Lady will you please give him a chance? He won’t touch you, not unless you want him to.”

“Why would I want him to?!”

Semi leaned back in his chair and scratched his head. “Well, I know plenty of women who would want him too. He never really cared too much until now though.” He gave her a big smile and chuckled, “You may change your mind after getting to know him. Well, I’ll leave you to finish your meal, we’ll come later to collect it.” He stood to walk out of the room when Yachi stopped him.

“Um, Semi-san? Now that I’ve had some food and you’ve explained things to me… I think-- I think you can send the Captain in here if he’d like to speak with me.”

“As you wish, My Lady. I’m sure it would please him.” He walked out of the room and Yachi was left to herself for a while to finish her meal in peace. They had managed to slip some food through the door before since she kept screaming when they entered, but this was the first full meal she had been given. She felt a little silly that she had behaved that way. If she had been braver perhaps she would have had better meals much earlier. A shiver ran down her spine as she sipped on her hot tea. Her nightgown was very wispy and offered little warmth. She had been walking around the Captain’s cabin with one of the blankets from the bed, but she had left it when she decided to eat.

There was a quiet knock on the door, and she could see the captain’s silhouette through the textured glass panes of the door.

“Come in,” She called, raising her chin in the air to give herself confidence. The door opened, and Captain Ushijima stood in the doorway, holding a wrapped package in his arms. He was no longer dressed in his maroon coat, but a simpler shirt and vest instead. Yachi waved him forward when he hesitated, and he entered the room and shut the door behind him.

“My Lady… may I sit?”

“Please do, Captain Ushijima.”

“Thank you, but you can call me Wakatoshi.”

Yachi gave a little gasp. “But, wouldn’t that be too disrespectful?”

As Ushijima sat next to her, his lips curled slightly into what could have been a smile, but she wasn’t sure. “Perhaps for some people, but I would like to hear you call me that, if you don’t mind.”

Yachi felt heat spread across her cheeks as she observed him. Now that the room was lit and he was seated next to her, she could see that he was very handsome, and she appreciated that he had not been forceful with her. She nodded and gave him a smile in return. “Alright, Wakatoshi-san. Semi-san was telling me that you kidnapped me because… because you like me?”

Ushijima nodded, as if he had no shame in admitting it. “I do like you, My Lady. I would like to formally court you, but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. Technically I am a wanted man.”

Yachi was still frightened of the large man, but there was something about his straightforward way of speaking that struck her funny. She tried stifling a giggle in her hand, but it ended up coming out in a snort.

“Oh! I’m sorry, it’s not that I think that’s funny, it’s just… you’re so different from most people. You’re not even embarrassed to admit you like me.”

Ushijima cocked his head. “Why should liking you be embarrassing? You are a remarkable young woman.”

Yachi felt her breath leave her. The crew of the Karasuno had always been sweet and encouraging, but that was the first time she had been complimented in such a way, and it made her feel a bit overwhelmed. She wrapped her arms around herself as she gave another shiver, which seemed to alarm Ushijima. He tore open the package in his hands and held it out for her.

“I bought this for you, but I haven’t had the chance to give it to you yet. I hope you like it, it should keep you warmer.”

She stretched her hands out to touch the pile of fabric in Ushijima’s hands. The material was a luxurious velvet of a creamy white with delicate blue flowers across it that reminded Yachi of a china cup. As her hands slipped over the soft fabric, her fingers accidentally grazed Ushijimas. Her heart raced as she flinched back, heat spreading from her cheeks and down her neck.

“I’m sorry!”

The smile on Ushijima’s face grew slightly larger. “You have no reason to be sorry. If you would stand up I can help you.”

“Oh, ok.” She stood up and turned her back towards him, her arms spread wide. She bit her lip as she felt the robe slip over her arms and drape over her back. It was a heavy fabric, but soft and comforting, instantly surrounding her in a soothing warmth. Once she had both arms through Ushijima stepped back to allow her to do the rest. The sash for the robe fastened just below her chest, allowing the rest to flow out from there, which mimicked the cut of her nightgown underneath. She made little adjustments to it and turned to show it to Ushijima, not expecting the reaction he was giving. Despite being an intimidating man, his eyes were wide as he gazed at her, and a blush was creeping across his face.

“You, uh… you look lovely.”

“Thank you!” She smiled back at him, enjoying the gentle side of the infamous pirate captain. Apparently, her smile had an even greater effect on him, and he stumbled backwards and nearly tripped over the chair. As Yachi sputtered into giggles, Ushijima clutched his chest as if the sound was giving him chest pains.

“I--I should go. I’m sure you need your rest.” He sped toward the door and paused to glance one more time at her. “If you require anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask. The entire crew is instructed to cater to any of your desires.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary! I don’t need much, the food was delicious, as was the tea. Um… I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to visit again, Wakatoshi-san. I promise I won’t scream.”

Ushijima pursed his lips and gave her a nod before stepping out of the room. “I would like that.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha ha, what do you guys think of my new ship? Lol, I promise I won't introduce a new ship every chapter, it's just kinda that point in the story where I can have some fun with it.  
> Also this is my first time writing Kita and any of the Inarizaki team members, so I hope I do them justice!  
> As always I love love love your comments! :D  
> Oh, and if you haven't already, check out my spin off one shot Ship of Dreams!! It's my first one shot spouting off of this story, so I'm pretty excited about it.


	12. Chaos erupts

Cannonballs whistled through the air and plunged into the rough sea, water spraying up and falling onto the deck of the Nekoma.

“Fukunaga, hold her steady!” Kuroo cried out as he rushed to the stern, the back of the ship. He snapped his spyglass open and peered through it. The ship in his view was tearing through the water toward them, despite its large size. The flag flapping in the air was of the Imperial Navy, and the figurehead was a fox. “It’s the Inarizaki! Open up the sails, get us out of here!”

Yaku rushed toward him while the rest of the crew scattered. “Captain? We’re not gonna fight?”

“Not this one, did you see how many guns she’s got? They’ll decimate us if we get too close.” He gave Fukunaga a pat on the shoulder, slipping in to take the helm for himself. He glanced up at the sails as they stretched in the ferocious breeze, hoping the same breeze wasn’t pulling the Inarizaki forward as well. Another cannon shot, the metal ball skimming along the edge of the Nekoma and bringing with it pieces of the hull.

“Yaku! Get below and make sure the cannons are still operable.”

“Aye!” Like a squirrel Yaku rushed across the deck with a nimble agility and slipped down through the hatchway. Kuroo’s mind quickly sifted through their options, his eyes staring straight ahead while he pictured a map of the area in his head. They were the lighter ship, and if he could get to rougher water with even stronger wind they could outrun their pursuer. Another cannonball shot through the air, but this time plunged into the water beside him, showering the quarter deck with sea water.

Kuroo licked his lips and turned the wheel sharply, cutting to the left to make for the Sheercliff Reefs. The reef surrounded Kanto, an island that was basically a dormant volcano. The sharp, black rock of the island descended into the ocean and disrupted the water around it for miles, and the air churned around it to produce monstrous zephyrs, exactly what Kuroo needed.

He gripped the wheel tight, not allowing for any more turns to slow them down as he headed straight for the reefs. Yaku jumped out of the hatchway and ran toward him, slipping a couple times on the soaked deck.

“Cannons are still operable, but we have quite a gaping hole in the side. All crewmembers are accounted for, just a few scrapes.”

“Good, can we lose any weight?”

“I’ll stir the crew up to see if we can toss anything over!”

Kuroo glanced behind to see the Inarizaki was gaining on them slowly. He swore under his breath, hoping they would reach the reefs in time. He felt a blast of wind hit his back and shove its way into the sails. His fingers tightened around the wheel as the ship picked up speed. The crew struggled with their footing as they tossed several things off the side and ran back down below to find more. Kuroo’s eyes flickered down as Lev bounded to the side of the ship and tossed out his pillow. It was pure torture to resist the urge to walk down there and hit him, but he at least felt a little relief when Yaku spun around and landed his foot right into Lev’s ass. It didn’t seem to be enough for Yaku to see Lev fall in pain. He wrapped his short arms around Lev’s waist and attempted to drag him to the edge of the ship.

“Yaku! Not the crew!” Kuroo shouted, despite knowing how satisfying it would be watch.

“Fine!” Yaku growled and stomped off to find something less worth keeping than Lev.

The ship took a slight nosedive and shot back up into the air, reaching the edge of the tumultuous reef. Kuroo clenched his jaw as he adjusted the wheel, aiming to just skirt by the island and shoot off into the open water. Another cannonball whistled through the air and clipped the front edge of the ship. It almost seemed like a test shot, and it was too close for Kuroo’s comfort. He knew the choppy waves would slow them down at first and allow the Inarizaki to catch up, but once their pursuer met the reef it would slow them down to a crawl.

“Captain, they’re catching up,” Fukunaga warned him as he gripped onto the side of the ship.

“Stay away from the edge, or you’ll get hit!” He had hardly spoken when one whistled through the air and plunged into the hull, right under Fukunaga. He flew back and fell into Kuroo, who kept his feet firm and gripped onto his crewmen with his arm. “You okay?!”

Fukunaga straightened himself out and gave him a jerky nod, his eyes even wider than usual.  Kuroo glanced behind them, a chill settling over his skin at seeing the proximity of the other ship.

“Take the helm, hold it steady!” As Fukunaga took his place, Kuroo picked up one of his rifles and stood at the edge of the stern. He loaded it and held it up, digging it into his shoulder as he peered through the viewfinder. The ship wasn’t close enough for him to get a clean shot, but he was ready to take the chance. He took a deep breath, allowing for the waves to pull their ship down just enough and then fired.

On board the Inarizaki, Admiral Kita stood at the front of the ship, a spyglass to his eye as he calculated the distance to the Nekoma. His men were experts at taking down pirates, and it filled him with pride to see them at their best. They had just plunged a cannon into the back of the Nekoma and damaged the hull. While his crew cheered, he lowered his spyglass and nodded his approval while keeping an eye on the ship ahead that was still attempting to escape.

“Oomimi, have them release more cannon fire, we are in range.”

“Aye!” His giant first mate yelled, and he turned to give the order to the crew. Kita glanced over to watch him go when the crack of a rifle split through the air, and his body was blown backward. He landed hard on his back with a gasp, searing pain erupting from his shoulder as his mind went blank.

“Admiral!” Oomimi called. His vision was growing blurry with hot tears as several heads hovered over him. The beat of his heart was throbbing in his ears, drowning out most other noises. “Get him below!” Oomimi’s voice said, but it sounded far away as the world around Kita grew dark.

Back on the Nekoma, Kuroo watched through his spyglass as the Inarizaki fell into chaos. A grin curled on his face and he snapped the spyglass shut. “Fukunaga, skirt us around the reef and shoot us off. I think we just got our chance to lose them.”

“Aye!”

The cannon fire was stalled temporarily, and the Nekoma began to pull away, the wind carrying her forward over the rolling waves as the Inarizaki fell behind.

 

The ship pursuing the Karasuno plunged through the waters at breakneck speed. It had proven impossible for them to continue their search for Lady Yachi without being spotted by an Imperial Navy ship. Hinata had noticed the ship far off, and they immediately tried to pick up the pace to outrun it. Whoever was behind them caught up quick, and a cold sweat began to break out across Daichi’s skin with the feeling that the ship was anything but friendly.

“Hinata! Can you see which ship it is? Are they presenting a flag?”

“It’s definitely a ship of the Navy, Captain!” Hinata leaned out of the crow’s nest to get an even better look. “It’s the Dateko! And she’s gaining!”

“What?! They’re supposed to be up north! What’re they doing here?”

Suga walked up the steps to stand beside him, gazing at the pursuing ship. “Isn’t Moniwa a friend of yours?”

“We _were_ friends, but I have to assume we are no longer. He’s part of the Imperial Navy, same as Iwaizumi.”

A deafening boom sounded from the other ship, and a cannonball plunged into the water in front of them.

“Yeah, I think that definitely answers the _friends_ question,” Daichi muttered to himself. “Yamaguchi!” The younger man held his chin up with confidence as he slid into place at the helm, allowing the Captain his freedom to open his spyglass and peer behind them. He stared for a moment, pursing his lips as he concocted a plan.

“Suga, have Asahi and the others ready the cannons. Do not let them fire until I say, this needs to be exact.” Suga nodded and ran down the steps toward the hatchway. As he slipped below deck, the rest of the crew paced around the main deck and leaned off the side to look behind them at the approaching ship.

Another cannonball ripped through the air and grazed the crow’s nest, bursting the wood apart. Hinata screamed as he fell out of it, dropping from the height and landing hard on his back.

Tsukishima didn’t even have time to yell as he surged forward, seeing pieces of wood and sails dropping down to bury Hinata. He slid the rest of the way on the wet deck and covered Hinata with his own body just as splintered wood clattered onto his back. Luckily most of the sails held on, though it strained against the broken mast. Tsukishima cracked open his eyes and saw Hinata’s wide with fright.

“Tsukishima?”

“Don’t be so clumsy, idiot,” He murmured as he wrapped his arms gently around Hinata and shuffled him further away from any more falling debris.

Daichi’s heart throbbed out of control in his chest, and he released a sigh when he saw that Hinata was okay. With that much damage to the ship it’ll be critical for them to attack at just the right moment.

Suga emerged out of the hatchway, his eyes locking with Daichi’s. “They’re ready, Captain!”

He walked toward the edge of the stern and raised his spyglass; the Dateko was just drifting in range of the cannons.

“Drop the anchor! Yamaguchi, turn hard to starboard. Everybody hang on!” As the anchor dropped into the depths and caught along the ocean floor, the Karasuno took a sharp turn to the right. Yamaguchi yelled out as he barely kept his grip on the wheel. Daichi ran up to help him hold it steady while he kept his eye behind them.

“Fire!” Cannons erupted from below the decks, pillars of smoke lifting into the air as they released their ammunition onto the Dateko. Yamaguchi pulled the wheel back as Daichi called for the anchor to be lifted. “Keep them firing!” He yelled, and another round emptied out with explosions and smoke. He looked through his spyglass to see that their cannonfire had put enough holes in the Dateko to temporarily stall it.

“Anybody who can help, fix these sails quick! We’ve gotta make a run for it before they regroup.” The crew still on the main deck scurried around, trying to make whatever repairs they could. Tsukishima gently lifted Hinata to his feet and hurried over to Daichi.

“Captain? You don’t want to fight? Another round of cannonfire could do more damage to them before they can recover.”

Daichi shook his head. “No, if it was the Inarizaki it would be different.”

“Do you think they would hesitate to sink us?”

Daichi cocked his head at him, observing the clench in his jaw and showing a strand of rage not ever found in his level-headed navigator. His eyes flickered past Tsukishima to where Hinata was trying to help the others, his body moving slower than usual. “The Dateko is under orders from the Inarizaki; they have no choice but to follow them through. We answer to only ourselves, and I will not murder an old friend.” He reached his hand out and squeezed Tsukishima’s shoulder. “Hinata’s fine, but none of us will be if we don’t get out of here.”

The stress in Tsukishima’s jaw relaxed, and he nodded.

“Yes, Sir. Where are we headed?”

“We’ll head to Johzenji to make repairs and see if there’s any new information. Then we’ll head back to Saga to lay low for a while.”

Tsukishima nodded once more and joined the rest of the crew who were making repairs. With the sails tied back up and temporary repairs made to the mast, the wind pushed them forward and soon the injured Dateko faded from view as they put more distance between them.

 

“Ha ha! You’re not gonna take me alive you spiky haired bastard!” Bokuto shouted as he pointed his pistol at Commodore Iwaizumi and fired. The bullet narrowly missed Iwaizumi’s face, his heart nearly stopping as he felt the heat coming off it as it passed him.

“We both have spiky hair, and I’m not the bastard, you filthy pirate!” Iwaizumi yelled back, but Bokuto only laughed as he fired off another pistol at Hanamaki.

Their ships were drawn up next to each other, their cannons already emptied into each other and chaos erupting as Fukurodani pirates swung over onto their main deck.

“Dammit, they don’t even look nervous,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he reloaded his rifle.

“I think they’re enjoying it actually,” Matsukawa muttered next to him, aiming his rifle at the notorious pirate captain as he playfully shot at various soldiers. A shadow passed above him, and he glanced his heavy-lidded eyes up to see another pirate swing over to their side. He landed lightly on his feet beside him and turned in one fluid movement, the bottom of his jade yukata flowing like water. With a metallic _shing_ piercing the air, he pulled two katana swords from his back, his face cool and focused as he swiped one sword against Matsukawa’s rifle and knocked it out of his hands. Matsukawa dodged out of the way to pull out his own sword, barely lifting it in time to block the next hit. It wasn’t often that he was cornered, but he was also cool headed when it came to fighting and expertly blocked every slash of the two swords. He shuffled his feet backward as the pirate advanced on him, looking almost like a dancer as he slipped through the air. Sweat began to drip down Matsukawa’s face, but he showed no other signs of tiring as he moved his sword back and forth.

“Is that all you’ve got, Commodore? I’ve never thought about taking a nap during a fight!” Bokuto’s husky voice rang out, and Iwaizumi felt his blood pressure rising. He clenched his jaw as he sprang up from his barrel, lifting his pistol. Bokuto fired first, shooting the hat off his head.

“Commodore!” Hanamaki cried and gripped onto Iwaizumi’s arm, pulling him back down under cover. “He was baiting you!”

“Oikawa might hate Ushijima more than anything, but damn owl bastard is the _worst_ ,” He growled as he tried aiming from around his barrel. Two figures ran by them, and it took him a second to realize they were two Fukurodani pirates. He took aim at one of their backs, but the rest of the crew still on board their ship released a wave of shots to cover their friends. The two pirates laughed as they swung back onto their ship.

One with a wide grin winked at Bokuto as he landed on the deck. “All set, Captain!”

“AkaaAAAAshiiiiiii! Onaga, Komi! Get your asses back over here!”

Suddenly the yukata-clad pirate fighting with Matsukawa spun his blades even faster, as if he had been holding back the entire time. His sword clattered to the ground and the pirate kicked out, his foot landing in Matsukawa’s chest. He fell hard to the deck and barely opened his eyes when the pirate leaned over him. A strange thought flickered through his mind at the intimate position of the pirate’s face hovering above his, a strand of thought realizing how attractive the other man was despite the fact he could likely die in that moment.

The pirate didn’t stab him, but instead stuck his tongue out and licked up Matsukawa’s lips before giving him a smirk. In the blink of an eye the pirate was gone, running over to the edge of the ship and swinging gracefully back over to the Fukurodani. Matsukawa remained on his back as he processed what happened, heat slowly spreading through his body as his mind refocused.

“Don’t let them escape!” Iwaizumi called out, and the air flooded with the scent of burnt metal as shots rang out from both sides.

“Well, this has been fun, Commodore! My regards to the Governor!” Bokuto laughed as they began to pull away.

“Pull up the anchor! Open up the sails!” Iwaizumi called. Yahaba and Watari pulled the ropes to open the masts when the ropes snapped and all the sails billowed down on top of half the crew. They all struggled to escape the heavy material, and by the time Iwaizumi emerged from underneath, the Fukurodani was sailing away, and the Aoba Johsai was drifting in the wrong direction. Iwaizumi looked at the helm, where Kyoutani’s face was bright red and filled with rage as he attempted to turn the wheel to no avail.

They locked eyes, and Kyoutani gave him a slight shake of the head. “I can’t move it! They sabotaged it somehow!”

“Matsukawa, Hanamaki! Get below and figure out what they did. The rest of you get those sails up!”

Back on the Fukurodani, Bokuto smiled peacefully as he gazed through his spyglass at the struggling Navy ship. “Ah, that was fun. Nothing like a frisky brawl to warm up your blood. Speaking of blood, Akaashi, looks like you had fun yourself… find a new boy to play with?” He asked as he glanced over at his friend.

Akaashi smiled as he gazed at the ship as well, his green eyes sparkling with mirth. “Yes, that was the most fun I had in a while. It tasted good.”

 

Yachi sighed happily as she sipped her warm tea. She had tasted orange tea before, but this one was infused with exotic spices, and she liked the way it tickled her tongue. Glancing up at Ushijima, she smiled as he enjoyed his own cup, the china looking comical in the rough hand of such a large, imposing man. Regardless of his blunt demeanor, he had impeccable manners and didn’t spill a drop as he replaced it gently on the delicate saucer in his other hand. Outside of the cabin, she could hear the sultry tune of a violin serenading them, as if they were having dinner in a fine restaurant.

“Who is playing?” She asked as she picked up a biscuit from the tray.

“Ah, that would be Tendou. He said it would give off romantic vibes to lure out untapped desires, but I had no idea what he was talking about, so I just let him do as he pleases.”

Such an admission would usually fill Yachi with dread, but Ushijima’s own naivete caused her to giggle instead. “Oh, I see. He’s very talented.”

Ushijima nodded, “My crew is strong and highly skilled. We are the best in the Caribbean, so you can rest assured we will protect you.”

It was strange how easily Yachi had fallen into a routine on the ship, after the initial terror had faded. Though every member of the crew was intimidating, they treated Yachi with gentle manners, and she felt no fear as she wandered the ship during the day. It was also surprising how easily her conversations flowed with Captain Ushijima, a man who commonly struck fear in the hearts of all who crossed his path. He was sweet and patient with her, and the more she became acquainted with him, the more affection she began to feel for him.

Still, her previous life and responsibilities called to her in moments of quiet, and she knew that the longer she stayed away it would be harder to return.

The sadness of leaving Ushijima must have shown on her face. Setting his teacup on the table, Ushijima leaned forward and enveloped her hands in his own.

“My Lady? What troubles you?”

She glanced up, noticing how his eyebrows were knitted tightly, his eyes warm as he gazed at her. “I can’t help it. Wakatoshi-san, I need to go back home, so many people rely on me for so many things. And they must be so worried about me. But I don’t want you to think I don’t want to be with you! I’ve really enjoyed my stay, I wish somehow I could combine our two worlds, so we could remain by each other’s sides.” She expected him to look sad when she spoke of returning, but instead his cheeks flushed as the creases in his forehead smoothed over.

“You would like to remain by my side?” He said in hardly above a whisper.

Yachi squeaked in alarm as she realized she had said such an intimate phrase. “Oh! I didn’t-- What I mean is, ummmm. Yes, I’d like to continue seeing you, it’s just difficult.”

A smile curled on his lips as he nodded. “I agree I need to take you home before everyone grows too worried. The crew is anxious as well to do something else.” She pursed her lips as she looked down at their hands with overwhelming melancholy. Ushijima released her hands and picked one up, lifting it to his face and kissing it gently. “I suggest we think of some way to continue seeing each other.”

It was a simple gesture, one overflowing with manners as it was appropriate for a man to kiss a lady’s hand. But the way he kept his eyes on her as he continued pressing his lips down on her sensitive skin sent Yachi’s internal temperature to dangerous levels. Her mouth hung open as she stared, unable to utter a single word as fireworks exploded in her brain. She didn’t even realize she was leaning in closer, as if being pulled on an invisible string. His other hand came up to stroke her cheek gently as he dropped her hand down from his lips.

“My Lady…” He whispered before leaning in slowly, his lips hovering just in front of hers but not coming any closer. She blinked, wondering what he was waiting for as her heart slammed in her chest. Suddenly she realized he was letting her make the final move, still not pushing her any further than she was comfortable. A fire lit up inside her, and she reached out to grip onto his shirt and tugged him forward, pushing her lips up against his. He gasped in surprise at her forcefulness, but a chuckle vibrated through his lips into hers as he cupped her face with his hand. She didn’t release him right away but was stunned by her own gumption. She had no idea what to do next, being quite inexperienced with the ways of kissing. Ushijima cocked his head and softly moved his lips against hers, and she felt her own lips release the tension and move fluidly with his. It felt good, and she found herself wanting more. She leaned in, opening her mouth up, but gasped as Ushijima leaned back.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” He muttered, breathing heavily as guilt washed over his features. Yachi was disappointed, but also embarrassed that perhaps he didn’t like her as much as she thought.

“Why are you sorry?”

“I am concerned I may lose my self-control and push you too far. You are a highborn lady, as well as a gentle soul. It would be the worst thing imaginable if I made you uncomfortable in any way.”

Yachi giggled and leaned in toward him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders in a warm hug. “You’re really sweet, Wakatoshi-san, and I appreciate your concern.”

Outside the cabin doors, the violin music stopped suddenly, and there was a knock at the door. Yachi leaned back and sat down in her seat, curious to know the cause of the interruption since the crew had never dared interrupt them before.

“Come in,” Ushijima ordered, his face set in a dark scowl. The door creaked open, and Semi cautiously peeked his head in.

“My apologies, Captain. Lady Yachi.”

“What is it Semi?”

Semi sighed and entered the rest of the way in. “We’ve had some news from the fisherman. A new ship has arrived from the Imperial Navy, the Inarizaki. Apparently, they’re expert pirate hunters and have been ravaging the Caribbean since they’ve arrived. It’s only a matter of time before they find us here, Sir.”

Ushijima nodded solemnly and looked at Yachi. “We need to take you home.”

“Already? I mean I know we were just talking about this, but I didn’t realize it would be so soon!” Yachi bit her lip, their situation changing so quickly her brain could hardly keep up with her frantic emotions. Ushijima once again grasped her hands in his, warmth creeping up her skin from where they touched.

“Perhaps we’ll sail to Johzenji first to pick up supplies. Then we can come up with a plan to get you home safely.”

Relieved she would have more time to process, she nodded vigorously. Ushijima glanced over at Semi and gave him a nod.

“We leave immediately, Semi. Chart a course.”

“Aye, Sir,” He responded, a smile playing on his lips as he exited the cabin.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha, I really wasn't expecting to add anymore ships til much later, oops! I seriously do it naturally  
> As always I love your comments! If you're too shy, PM me on tumblr, hearing back from you guys lifts my soul and infuses my creativity :D


	13. An unexpected meeting

Two bodies crashed into a pantry closet and shut the door behind them, drenching themselves in darkness. They breathed heavily as their lips never left the other’s, knowing how easily they could kiss a nose or ear instead with the lack of light. The closet was snug, and as they tugged at each other’s clothes several bottles and canisters fell to the floor while they maneuvered in the small space.

“Yuuji,” Ennoshita breathed, letting his lips lift off for only a moment.

“Mmm?”

“Why are we in a closet?”

Terushima sighed as he drew back, letting his fingers snake up through Ennoshita’s hair so he could keep track of where he was. “We don’t have a lot of time, I’m short staffed tonight. How long are you in for?” As soon as he finished speaking, he tugged the scarf off Ennoshita’s neck and replaced it with his teeth.

Ennoshita was about to answer, but all that came out was a moan as he tilted his head back, relishing in the feeling of Terushima’s teeth grazing against his skin. He wrapped his arms around Terushima’s waist, letting his fingers tug up on his shirt so he could sneak his hands underneath the light fabric. He licked his lips and focused his mind enough to speak. “Not sure-- oh ooooh--how long repairs will take.”

He felt Terushima smile against his skin. His waist began to jerk as nimble hands quickly unbuckled his belt. He gasped as the sweaty hands slid down into the front of his pants.

“Chikara,” Terushima whispered, blowing his hot breath against the sensitive skin of his throat. His lips continued up his neck, grazing across his cheek until their lips met with a series of messy kisses. “If you have no duties, will you stay with me tonight?”

“Yeah, I’m sure the Captain will let me. He’s pretty understanding about it.”

“Mmm, lucky me. So, for now… hands or mouths?” Terushima smirked, hearing the shuddering breath from Ennoshita, knowing he was probably blushing from ear to ear. _I’ll never get tired of teasing him… how cute._

“Mouths,” Ennoshita whined, already losing control of his voice. A thrill of excitement sped through Terushima’s veins and with a quick peck to Ennoshita’s lips, he dropped to his knees.

 

Daichi rubbed his tired face as he sat with Ukai in Terushma’s tavern. He turned to glare at a closet located behind the bar where he’d last seen the tavern owner pull his protege into with a flurry of kisses. And from the crashes and grunts he could hear from inside, he was certain it was moving past just kissing.

“Well, you lot sure did embrace the whole life of piracy, haven’t you?” Ukai smirked as he ran his hand through his blonde hair.

“Yeah, actually it’s kind of strange how easily most of us conformed.”

“I would have thought Tsukishima, Ennoshita, or Suga would have had more issues with it.”

Daichi gave him a shrug. “Suga had more issues in the beginning, but I think having a romance of his own brought out his inner rascal, and _obviously_ it was the same with Ennoshita. I’m relieved Tsukishima is on our side; the way his mind works, and his level of intelligence terrifies me. Which is why he’s more frustrated than anyone that we can’t find Lady Yachi.”

“I know, at least you’re all out doing something. I feel pathetic working from here.”

“We’d be completely lost if you weren’t helping us out from here. Speaking of which, I assume you know nothing new since you haven’t said anything yet.”

Ukai clicked his tongue and looked around the tavern. “No, nothing new, just all this about Navy ships everywhere scooping up pirates left and right. In the past I would have been grateful for the extra protection of the citizens, but now that you guys have gone rogue I gotta worry about it. And if the Shiratorizawa gets caught up in it, Lady Yachi is going to be in danger.”

Fear gripped Daichi’s stomach; he hadn’t even considered that Yachi would be in danger from the Imperial Navy as well. “Hopefully the Inarizaki knows of her capture and will exercise caution.”

“Maybe… Oh, I forgot. Someone delivered this letter to me this morning, as if they knew you’d be arriving today.” He slipped a sealed letter from inside his coat and handed it to Daichi. He glanced at the seal, but it was plain and gave no indication who the sender was.

“Who gave it to you?”

“One of Terushima’s boys, and someone gave it to him, though he didn’t recognize who it was.”

With his curiosity peaked, Daichi broke the seal and opened the letter.

 

_Dear Captain Sawamura,_

_I imagine by now you have had a close shave with one or more of His Majesty’s ships. Hopefully this letter finds you unscathed from the encounter(s). They will not stop until all the pirates have been eradicated from the Caribbean and hung for their transgressions. If you would like to be part of a plan to stop them from taking over, meet me in the lookout tower on Johzenji at dusk on the 23rd. With cooperation from you and several others, I am certain we can end the tyranny the Inarizaki brings with it._

_Sincerely,_

_A Friend_

 

Daichi sighed and handed the letter to Ukai to study it himself. “It could be a trap.”

Ukai nodded as he read it through. “It could be, but I doubt it was set by the Inarizaki. I know they just sailed back to Seijoh to provide medical treatment for the Admiral. Seems he was shot by Kuroo.”

Daichi straightened up at the news. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? Well, I guess that means Kuroo is okay for now. How badly wounded was the Admiral?”

“Bullet went through his shoulder, but it was clean and should heal fairly quickly. I bet it hurt like hell though, especially for a man such as Admiral Kita. He hardly ever fights personally, leaving that to his crew and guiding them from behind the scenes. It was probably quite a shock.”

“How long do you think it’ll take for them to regroup?”

“Not long. I imagine as soon as the Admiral’s patched up and his health guaranteed they’ll head right back out, and probably with even more rage than before. Kuroo shooting their beloved Admiral will make the chase personal. In fact, I think you should gather as much food and supplies as you can from here and stay away as long as possible. I feel like this place could be a potential target for them, knowing how many pirates use Johzenji as a home base.”

“Yes, that’s the plan, though it’ll take a day most likely for Kinoshita to finish our repairs.” Daichi glanced out the broken windows of Terushima’s tavern and sighed. “Well, I better get moving. Make sure the crew knows where I’m heading, maybe have a few keep an eye on the tower to make sure there’ll be no ambush.”

“I’ll do that. I’ll let Ennoshita know as soon as he’s, um, done.” They had both been ignoring the number of moans and thuds heard from the closet behind the bar, but now their attention was drawn to it they both winced and turned away. “Anyways, good luck. Keep your senses sharp!”

“Yes, Sir. I’ll check back here when I’m done.”

 

On Daichi’s way out of the tavern, he passed by Asahi and Suga and let them know what was happening. They both insisted on coming with him at least most of the way and observe the tower from a hiding spot, just in case. The sun was already setting and casting the island in a peaceful orange glow. It was beautiful, yet Daichi couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about the strange letter and the sudden meeting with the mysterious sender.

He left Asahi and Suga in a grove of mango trees to the side of the lookout tower and walked on his own into the clearing surrounding it. The height of the tower was staggering to Daichi, especially for such a small island, standing nearly 75 feet high. He winced as his eyes trailed down the rickety staircase he would have to climb. Hearing nothing but the wind rustling the leaves of the mangos and breathy coo of white-crowned pigeons not yet settled in for the evening, he took in a deep breath and began ascending the creaky steps. Luckily Daichi kept himself in good physical shape and made it two thirds of the way up before he grew winded. It was at that point he heard two loud voices from above; two easily recognizable voices. He groaned as he trotted up the rest of the steps, his fist already clenched next to his side.

Kuroo’s obnoxious laugh was ringing out as Bokuto was regaling his tale of escaping the Aoba Johsai, his back toward Daichi so he did not see him walk up the final steps.

“I can’t believe you, Iwaizumi’s got a short fuse, he’s gonna be out for your blood after that.”

Bokuto shrugged, “Eh, what else is new?” Bokuto perked up when he noticed Daichi and gave him a friendly grin. Kuroo noticed the change in his demeanor and turned to see what he was looking at.

“Sawamura!” Kuroo grinned happily and took a step toward him. Daichi gave him a grin back and swung his fist into Kuroo’s face. He fell back, landing hard on his ass while Bokuto nearly fell over himself as he laughed.

“I can’t believe you didn’t see that coming!”

Kuroo groaned an answer as he rubbed his jaw. Daichi gave a quick inspection of his hand, and when satisfied he hadn’t damaged the skin he bent over Kuroo.

“You didn’t give me a chance last time, so technically I owe you two.” A look of fear flashed on Kuroo’s face, and for once Daichi felt sorry for him. He reached his hand out and Kuroo instinctively flinched. His hand paused for a moment but then continued moving slowly down to stroke the side of Kuroo’s face. “But I’ll let the second slide… just for today.”

Kuroo sighed and smiled a lopsided grin. “You know I like everything about you, Sawamura, but I definitely prefer your lips to your fist.”

Daichi smiled warmly at him. “Then come here.” Kuroo leaned up eagerly and this time Daichi met him with a soft kiss instead of his fist. They heard Bokuto groan and mutter something about enjoying the fighting more. Kuroo hummed happily as he leaned into it further, but Daichi placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled away with his face set in a frown.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone else is coming.” Daichi lifted himself to his feet and helped Kuroo up as they all turned, anxious to see the identity of the newcomer. Their eyes widened and their chins dropped as the massive presence emerged from below, his sharp eyes flickering to each of them from underneath his gloriously large feathered hat.

“Ushijima?!” Bokuto yelled, backing away as he sensed an impending disaster about to unfold.

Ushijima glanced at Bokuto and gave him a nod. “Ah, Bokuto. How are things?”

“You bastard!” Daichi yelled as he surged forward only to be held back by Kuroo.

“Dammit, Bokuto help me! He’s stronger than you’d think!”

Ushijima glanced their way, silently observing as both Bokuto and Kuroo attempted to restrain the enraged captain.

“Where is Lady Yachi? What have you done with her?!” Daichi growled, churning his body and his elbow jerking precariously close to Kuroo’s nose.

Ushijima calmly cocked his head. “What business is it of yours?”

Bokuto and Kuroo yelped as Daichi nearly forced his way out of their grip with renewed strength. Suddenly there was high-pitched yelling coming from below and light footsteps shuffling up the steps, and the struggling paused temporarily as they stared at the top of the stairs in curiosity. A flush-faced Yachi with sweat trickling down her face popped up and immediately collapsed on the ground as she struggled for breath.

“Yachi!” Daichi cried and slipped out of Kuroo and Bokuto’s grasp, wrapping his arms around Yachi’s small frame and pulling her close.

“Daichi-san!” She breathed as she snuggled into his arms. “Are you alright? Were you able to get your ship back?”

“Yes, we got it back, but never mind that! Are you okay?! We’ve been searching for you for weeks!”

“You have? I’m fine! I’ve been well taken care of, I promise.”

“Thank goodness, we feared the worst.”

They both flinched as the temperature of the room dropped considerably. Glancing over Daichi’s shoulder they saw both Ushijima and Kuroo glaring at them with their arms crossed while Bokuto snickered off to the side.

“Well, well… isn’t she _precious_?” Kuroo sneered as he took a step closer. “It would be a pity if something happened to her.”

Yachi squeaked and dropped her head below Daichi’s shoulder to hide. Ushijima took a step closer as well, his eyes boring into Daichi like daggers.

“My Lady, who is this man to you? I do not take well to rivals.”

Yachi’s head popped back up. “Ack! Wakatoshi-san, please don’t hurt him! He’s like family to me!” She slipped off Daichi’s lap and together they stood up. “Daichi-san, this is Captain Ushijima Wakatoshi. Wakatoshi-san, this is Captain Sawamura Daichi of the Karasuno.”

A flicker of recognition passed over Ushijima’s face, and he gave Daichi a curt nod. “I’ve heard much of you Sawamura. It’s good that we have finally met, especially if My Lady considers you family. I would like to declare my intentions towards her and hope to have your blessing as I formally court her. It would be best if we didn’t have to wait too long to marry.”

Daichi’s mouth dropped open in shock. While he was unable to utter a word, Bokuto snorted behind them while Kuroo stared at Ushijima.

“Ushijima… you never cease to amaze me. You may just have the biggest balls in the Caribbean.”

“I do not understand what you mean, I believe they are an appropriate size to my stature.”

“You can’t marry her!” Daichi finally sputtered, his brain finally reconnecting to his mouth.

Ushijima turned back to him and glowered. “And why not?”

“Because you’re a pirate!”

“So are you.”

“I’m not trying to marry her! She’s a highborn lady!”

Kuroo chuckled in amusement. “Well, who else is she gonna marry then. Oikawa?”

“Present!” A voice sang out behind them.

They all spun around to see Governor Oikawa removing the hood from his cloak as Commodore Iwaizumi ascended the stairs behind him.

“So, this was a trap?” Daichi asked, putting an arm in front of Yachi. Ushijima reached his arms out and pulled her gently back behind him.

“My, my, Captain Sawamura. What caused you to become such a distrustful person?” Daichi instinctively turned to look at Kuroo.

Kuroo smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“Hey, Iwaizumi! How did you get here so fast? I thought your ship was out of commission?” Bokuto teased with a toothy grin. Iwaizumi growled and stepped toward him with his hand reaching for his pistol when Oikawa grabbed hold of his arm.

“I picked him up in my own ship and brought him here. The Aoba Johsai is undergoing repairs and should be fixed soon. So, without further ado, let’s begin this little meeting I’ve organized. _You_ all are here because you’d like to continue sailing around the Caribbean like idiots and stealing instead of working for it like everyone else. I’m not judging!” He said quickly as he held his hands up. “You know that I have to maintain order so of course we’ll all be at odds, but not this time. For the moment we have a common enemy: The Inarizaki.”

“What? They’re an Imperial ship, how are they your enemy?” Daichi asked.

“Because this is _my_ territory! He just waltzed right in and took it over, commanding _my_ men, and if it continues he’ll replace me as the Governor and I’ll be pushed to the side. Like hell am I gonna let that little worm take over when I’ve worked hard all my life to get to this point!”

Iwaizumi placed a firm hand on his shoulder, and with a shuddering breath Oikawa stopped his angry tirade. The four pirate captains stared at him, taken aback by his unexpected rage.

Kuroo tapped his chin as he observed the Governor. “So, you’re proposing we work together? Wouldn’t you be seen as a traitor to the Crown?”

“I wouldn’t be seen as a part of this plan at all. This meeting is of the utmost secrecy, and none of you have any proof that I’m here except for your own word.”

“But I thought you wanted us gone as well?” Bokuto asked, his eyes flickering to Iwaizumi who had only attacked him a day prior.

“Of course, but I’m fully confident that once the Inarizaki is gone Iwa-chan and I can clean you all up ourselves.”

Ushijima nodded. “So, this is a temporary alliance. What is your plan?”

Oikawa scrunched his nose at him before answering. “It has to be carefully coordinated, but luckily Iwa-chan knows where the Dateko and Inarizaki will be next. First, I suggest Captain Sawamura ambushes the Dateko who are scheduled to sail around Edo Island tomorrow after their repairs are finished.”

“Why me?”

“Because I don’t trust any of the others to allow Moniwa and his crew to live. I know you two were friends before, so can I rely on you to only cripple the ship? Despite that they’re currently taking orders from Kita, I consider them _my_ men and would like them back in one piece after all this is over.”

Daichi nodded. “Yes, I would prefer not to harm the crew if I don’t have to. There are no guarantees if they try to harm my own though.”

“Understandable. Next, two of your ships will attack the Inarizaki since it’s more formidable than any of yours. You can do what you want with the crew, but I’d prefer you to completely bury the ship into the sea.”

“Who were you going to send to take care of them?” Kuroo asked.

“That’s where it gets tricky, since whoever’s left is going to sacrifice their own ship to be destroyed by Iwa-chan.”

“What?!” Kuroo and Bokuto cried together, and Daichi shook his head.

“Why is that necessary, Governor?”

Oikawa smiled as he regarded Daichi, obviously pleased he still referred to him respectfully. “For two reasons really. One, if it looks like Iwa-chan was able take one of you out then it looks like we’ve made progress. Two, it would keep anyone from suspecting Iwa-chan as a traitor.”

“I’ll do it,” A deep voice said behind them. They all turned to see Ushijima with his arms crossed, nodding to himself. “I will sacrifice the Shiratorizawa for the plan. However, I require myself and my men to be absolved from their crimes, though it does not have to be revealed publicly if you wish.”

Oikawa didn’t answer as he stared in shock at the other man but gave a slight nod of his head. Yachi’s small hands gripped his arm and tugged him around.

“Wakatoshi-san, you love your ship! Why would you do this?”

Ushijima’s face softened as he leaned over her, his large hand cupping her face gently. “I am willing to leave my life of piracy behind for you, My Lady. I will spend my whole life becoming a man you deserve… if you will have me.”

Yachi gasped, her brown eyes wide as she gazed up at him. “Of course, I will!”

Daichi stepped toward them, everything happening so fast he could hardly keep up. “Wait--wait a minute--”

Ushijima turned towards him and gave a bow. “As her family I ask your permission of course, Sawamura.”

“Uh, technically we’re not family, just _like_ family. Ukai-san is more of her guardian.”

“Where might I find him?”

“He’s here, at Terushima’s.”

Ushijima straightened and nodded. “Very well, I will go down and ask his permission as well.”

Behind them Oikawa clapped. “Well! Isn’t this so sweet? I’m so glad we could all get together and work out our issues. _Anyways_ , Bokuto and Kuroo, you two will attack the Inarizaki. They’re due to leave tomorrow and the plan is to sail around Johzenji, knowing most of you hang around here anyways. Work out the ambush on your own, I trust you two can handle that, yes?”

Bokuto and Kuroo gave each other a grin. “We haven’t attacked anybody together in a while! It’ll be just like old times!” Bokuto laughed.

Kuroo snorted, “Hopefully not, those events caused more trouble than it benefited either of us.”

“Governor?” Daichi asked, bringing Oikawa’s sharp brown eyes over to him. “Could you take Yachi back home then, so she’ll be safe?”

Oikawa shook his head. “I would if I could, but it’s impossible. How would I explain to anyone how I found her when I was never here?”

Daichi frowned, thinking if anyone could find a way around that, Oikawa could. “Well, I have a place I can hide her until all this is taken care of. Is that alright with you, Yachi?”

She nodded her head vigorously. “Of course, I trust you, Daichi-san!”

“Sawamura, are you sure she’ll be safe and comfortable?” Ushijima asked, his eyebrows knitted together as he gazed at him seriously.

“I guarantee it. It’s hidden away and very comfortable.”

“Well, now that everything’s settled, Iwa-chan and I will head back before anyone notices we’re gone.” He waved a hand nonchalantly as he walked toward the stairs.

“Oikawa,” Ushijima called to him as he stepped forward. Oikawa looked over his shoulder at him, his face already pinched in distaste. “You should have been a pirate.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been planning this scene from the beginning, ha ha ha.


	14. A Life that is Loved

“Ukai-san!” Yachi cheered as she ran through Terushima’s tavern. Daichi’s rough looking mentor nearly fell off his chair as she threw her arms over his shoulders.

“My Lady, where did you come from?!” He glanced over her head as Daichi entered behind her with a smirk and followed by Ushijima himself.

“It’s a long story,” Daichi said as he sat down at the table. “Once repairs are finished I need to take her somewhere safe before returning her to Miyagi. Will you come with us, Ukai-san?”

“Um, yes, of course.” Ukai glanced from Daichi to Ushijima, who had sat next to him, glowering at him with his lips pinched tight. Yachi finally released him and skipped over to the last open seat at the table between Ushijima and Daichi, smiling from ear to ear. Ukai continued gaping as Ushijima’s demeanor softened and shifted toward Lady Yachi as they began whispering to each other as if they were close friends… or something more. He heard Daichi sigh heavily and turned back toward him.

“I’ll explain everything once we’re back on the ship. Where’s Ennoshita?”

“When he emerged from the closet he sat with me awhile, but then Terushima had a couple more staff members come in, so they went to _get some sleep_.” Ukai rolled his eyes, and Daichi laughed.

“Well, that’s fine, as long as they don’t _oversleep_.”

“Sawamura,” Ushijima interrupted. “This is Lady Yachi’s guardian? Will you introduce me?”

Daichi groaned internally, not prepared for the conversation that was about to ensue. “Ukai-san, this is Captain Ushijima Wakatoshi. Ushijima, this is Ukai Keishin.”

Ushijima stood for a moment and offered Ukai a polite bow. “Ukai-san, it is an honor to meet you.”

Ukai looked speechless as the notorious pirate captain he’d been searching for was showering him with pleasant manners. “Oh, yes, same here. Listen, I’m glad to see Lady Yachi looks well, but frankly I’m pissed you kidnapped her. We’ve been worried sick thinking you were torturing her or doing god knows what?”

Ushijima returned to his seat, his face grave as he nodded. “My apologies, I admit it was not the best way to court her but being a pirate, I was limited with options.”

“ _Court her?!”_

“Yes, it is my intention to marry her.”

“You’re a pirate!”

“Not for long, I have made a deal to have my crimes absolved and plan on settling down once everything is taken care of.”

Ukai placed a hand on his heart, not sure how much more shock he could bear. He turned back to Daichi, who did not look surprised by Ushijima’s declarations in the slightest.

“I wish I could say he was joking, Ukai-san, but he isn’t. What’s more is Lady Yachi likes him as well.” Ukai turned his gaze across the table, where Yachi was smiling up at Ushijima with her cheeks flushed with happiness.

“Let’s… talk about this later,” Ukai said hesitantly, pinching his arm to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. “It’s going to take a while to wrap my head around all of this.”

Ushijima nodded. “Of course, I am a patient man, and I am willing to do all I can to redeem myself for past actions.” With that he turned in his seat, focusing all his attention to Lady Yachi. Since her entrance, many of the men in the tavern had been watching their table curiously. There were several mutterings about how a cute girl finally walks in and is already snatched up before they had a chance.

Daichi shuffled his chair a bit closer to Ukai and leaned toward him, regaling as much information about the meeting as he could in such a public setting, deciding not to reveal Oikawa’s involvement until they were back on the ship. Over the next several hours, Daichi’s crew arrived and joyfully crowded around their beloved Lady. The last to arrive was Kinoshita, announcing that his patch job was complete, and they could at last set sail. After sending a bartender to fetch their missing boatswain, they all made their way down to the docks to set sail for their various destinations.

Loitering by the docks was the crew of the Shiratorizawa, waiting for their Captain to rejoin them. Tendou and Semi glanced at each other when they noticed the crowd of Karasuno crewmen surrounding Ushijima and Lady Yachi.

“Uhhh, Captain? We’re not recruiting, are we?” Tendou asked.

“No, this is the crew of the Karasuno, and they will be taking Lady Yachi to safety.”

Semi’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “You’re letting her go? But Captain, we went through a lot to--” He stopped when Ushijima raised a hand.

“It’s fine, we will be reunited soon enough. Go to the ship and get ready to set sail and I will be along in a moment. Sawamura, may I have a moment alone with Lady Yachi before she boards?”

Most of Karasuno growled and rolled up their shirt sleeves as they stepped toward Ushijima, but Daichi barked at them to board the ship. He sighed and looked at Yachi, whose large brown eyes were begging him silently, making it impossible for him to refuse.

“Fine, but stay where I can see you,” He warned, and he watched as Ushijima took her hand and led her a small distance away so they could speak.

“Sawamura!”

Daichi startled at hearing the voice and turned to see Kuroo running toward him, his cheeks red from the exertion.

“I thought you left already,” Daichi said as he stepped closer.

“Just about, we had a few repairs to take care of ourselves, and I needed to work out the details with Bokuto. Well, him and Akaashi since Bokuto will probably forget.”

Daichi huffed out a laugh and shook his head. “Well, I guess this is probably it for a while… I hope everything works out.”

Kuroo stared down at him, his eyes sad as they traveled over Daichi’s face. At that moment, the first rays of morning light poured over the island’s horizon. It casted part of Kuroo’s face in a warm shine, the other half in shadows, drawing Daichi’s attention to Kuroo’s high cheekbones, the straight line of his jaw, the elegant curve of his neck. His eyes traveled back up to meet Kuroo’s, though one was partially hidden behind his mess of black hair. A bit of the sadness in Kuroo’s face faded away into a tender smile.

“Damn Sawamura… sometimes I think I could just look at you all day.” Kuroo’s hand rose up and stroked the side of Daichi’s face, causing his heart to throb erratically within his chest. Daichi gulped and forced a grin on his face, hoping not to reveal the way Kuroo can affect him so easily.

“You’re satisfied with just looking?”

“Ha... touché.” Kuroo leaned forward, his lips gently caressing Daichi’s as both his hands cupped the sides of his face. It was obvious that neither of them was in a patient mood, the soft preliminary kisses quickly growing in passion as they opened their mouths up to each other. Daichi grabbed hold of Kuroo’s waist and pulled him further in, his fingers massaging into his skin. He smirked against Kuroo’s lips as he heard the other man give a pleased growl that closely resembled a kitten’s purr. Shivers trickled down his spin as Kuroo’s fingers slipped through his short, dark hair.

Behind them was a strange noise that sounded like _MEEP_ , and they broke apart and turned to see Yachi facing them with her eyes covered by Ushijima.

“Sawamura, you should not behave like that in front of a Lady,” Ushijima chastised him.

The muscles in Daichi’s hand instinctively tightened into a fist as Kuroo sputtered with laughter. Before Daichi could move, Kuroo’s long arms hooked around him, and his sly voice was tickling his ear.

“I gotta go, and so do you. Please stay safe out there, it’s been too long since we’ve had a proper reunion.”

The tension in Daichi’s body melted, and he nuzzled himself closer into Kuroo before they had to part. “I will, and you too. Don’t underestimate the Inarizaki.”

“Nah, I won’t. They won’t know what hit ‘em.”

 

The Karasuno sailed quickly to their home base at Saga, anxious to get Yachi and Ukai to safety before heading off to their own battle around Edo. Daichi knew the tender-hearted lady would be terrified as they crept through the sharp rocks and skeletons of wrecked ships, so he had her remain in his cabin to rest for the majority of the trip. Ukai cackled with glee as Hinata’s sharp eyes called out instructions and Yamaguchi adjusted the helm, the ship rocking back and forth on the harsh waves.

“Hell, I missed this! Danger lurking around every corner, not knowing what’s on the horizon.” He inhaled deeply, absorbing the cool salty air of the fog surrounding them. “Ahhh, I missed the sea.”

They dropped the anchor in their usual spot and readied two longboats to escort Yachi and Ukai to shore. In the first boat sat Yachi with Suga, Tanaka, Daichi and Hinata while the second boat would follow behind with Ukai. Tanaka and Daichi handled the oars while Hinata chatted with Yachi at the front of the boat, his voice echoing in the dense fog as he told her of some of their adventures. As captivated by them as she was, Yachi could not help but be distracted by the eerie silence of the blank world surrounding them. She trembled as they drifted through the fog, her head jerking around her as she searched for anything else to look at.

“Don’t worry, Lady Yachi!” Hinata said cheerfully from beside her. “It’s a bit strange at first, but you get used to the silence!”

Daichi and Suga exchanged a smirk, knowing with Hinata’s energetic personality it would never be silent, which was part of the reason they brought him along with Yachi. Suga’s eyes drifted back to the still water beneath them, disturbed only by the dip of the oars. He stretched his arm over the side and let his fingers skim through the water as they moved forward.

“Suga-san! How can you stick your fingers in?! Would if there’s something down there?” Yachi cried, her hands gripping the wood seat underneath her.

Suga laughed, “Don’t worry, My Lady… I know exactly who’s down there.” Yachi cocked her head in confusion, mouthing the word _who_ when her eyes flickered back down to Suga’s fingers. A webbed hand emerged from the water and enveloped Suga’s, causing Yachi to shriek in terror. Daichi and Tanaka paused in their rowing as Hinata patted Yachi’s back.

“It’s fine! It’s only Shimizu-san!”

“Shimizu-san?”

Suga leaned out of the boat with a warm smile as a beautiful young woman rose above the surface of the water. She did not stop until her lips met Suga’s in a tender kiss, her eyes closing peacefully. Yachi’s mouth dropped open in shock, not believing what she was seeing. Her eyes soaked in the scene until they drifted down past the girl’s shoulders. She shrieked again and hid her eyes as heat flooded her face.

“She’s naked! A sexy naked girl just came out of nowhere and kissed Suga-san! Am I going crazy?

“It’s alright, she’s a mermaid!” Hinata said behind her. “She’s Suga-san’s girlfriend!”

_A mermaid, a real mermaid! Suga-san’s girlfriend?! I’m in the same boat as him, she’s going to kill me! Mermaids are jealous and spiteful, I’m doomed! My life is all over, I’ll never see Wakatoshi-san again or the Sawamuras. I wonder if she’ll drown me or sink her teeth into my--_

Her inner turmoil was stilled as she felt a hand gently clasp onto her own. She let them slip off of her eyes so she could peek above them, instantly meeting a pair of soothing blue-grey eyes peering curiously back at her. Yachi gulped and remained frozen as the mermaid cocked her head, observing Yachi carefully. She felt like her heart was going to run straight out of her chest when suddenly the mermaid smiled at her. Her hands peeled Yachi’s away from her face and clasped them warmly, despite her skin being cool and clammy herself. Yachi’s mouth dropped open, overwhelmed by the beauty of the mermaid and emitting only nervous squeaks instead of intelligible words. The mermaid, Shimizu, leaned in closer and whispered something in her ear and then pulled back.

“Oh, er… Yachi. Yachi Hitoka.”

Shimizu gave a polite nod and released her hands, slipping back into the water and giving a playful wave to the boat before swimming off.

“See Lady Yachi? She likes you!” Hinata cheered as he patted her back. Yachi released a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding and slumped forward, completely exhausted from her near-death experience by a breathtaking siren.

Suga laughed gently as Tanaka and Daichi resumed their rowing. “He’s right, My Lady. And with her protection you will be very safe while you stay here. I promise.”

Daichi snickered, “I just hope I get to see Ukai’s face when he sees her.”

Behind them they heard a loud shriek followed by splashing and several expletives. “Holy shit! What the hell--get away from-why is there a--somebody _do_ something!” There was a roar of laughter from the other crew members, and more grumbling from Ukai wondering what was happening.

“Okay, hearing him was just as good,” Daichi laughed as they finally cleared the fog and entered the cave. “My Lady? Welcome to our new home.”

Yachi’s eyes widened as she gazed at the beautiful reflections of the water on the rocky ceiling, and Tsukishima’s makeshift office on the shore. “What are all those maps for?” She asked, stepping out of the boat with Hinata’s help.

“Oh, these are the maps Tsukishima was studying when we were trying to find you. We searched the whole Caribbean for you and couldn’t find a trace. It was stressful for us, but it was hardest on him I feel. He took it personally as a navigator and as your friend.”

Yachi pursed her lips as she gazed at the maps strewn about with marks and pins all over them. She hadn’t had a moment to wonder about it before but seeing the pain and frustration she had put her friends through with her disappearance sent her heart sinking and her eyes began to water.

“I’m so sorry!” She sobbed. “It must have been so awful for you all!”

“My Lady!” They cried as they huddled around her.

Suga stepped in front of her and bent forward, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “It’s fine, My Lady, we found you at last.”

“But--but...”

“Yachi,” Daichi said quietly next to her, and her sobbing paused as she gazed up at him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her into his chest. “You didn’t ask to be taken, and I doubt he ever gave you an opportunity to escape or call for help, am I right?” With a few sniffs she managed to nod her head against him. Daichi chuckled, “See? You have nothing to worry about, what’s done is done. It would have been better if we knew Ushijima’s intentions and where he was hiding you, but we had no clue of either.”

“Incidentally, My Lady,” Tsukishima said as joined them from the other boat that had pulled up while Yachi was crying, “Where was Ushijima hiding you?”

“Oh, we were hiding in Miyagi Bay among the fishing ships. We were there the whole time.”

Tsukishima scrunched his nose and clicked his tongue in annoyance. Ukai wandered about the room, his eyes looking over everything with interest.

“This place is a great hideout. Is there more?”

Daichi nodded as he released Yachi since she had calmed down. “Yes, there’s a lot still to see. Hinata, go show them around while we get ready to set sail. And hurry, we have an appointment to keep with the Dateko.”

 

The sun was high in the clear, blue sky as the warm breeze passed over the open sea. Three ships were anchored in an area where only those present would bear witness to the events about to unfold. The Aoba Johsai, repaired and ready for battle, was poised in position to inflict the most damage on the ship drifting next to it: The Shiratorizawa. The third ship was Oikawa’s, lent to Iwaizumi to escort Ushijima’s crew to safety while they obliterated their ship. Ushijima stared gravely at the ship he had called his home for so many years, feeling the ache in his chest one would normally feel at the bedside of a dying relative.

“Wakatoshi-kun, are you sure you’re making the right decision? Is she worth it?” Tendou was Ushijima’s best friend, but rarely did he call him by his given name like he used to when they were young. He only spoke it in important moments, when he was concerned about his friend’s well-being. Ushijima turned his eyes to look at his friend.

“She is, Tendou. It’s hard to describe, but as much as this pains me, the alternative of living without her is far worse.”

“So, it’s true? You really are in love with Lady Yachi?” Iwaizumi asked as he came up behind him. There was no mocking tone to his questions, and his eyes were filled with curiosity.

“Yes, I am in love with her.”

The corners of Iwaizumi’s lips turned up in a slight smile, and he nodded. “I figured you did, I’m just still surprised.” He gazed out over the water where he could hear Matsukawa giving the preliminary orders to fire. “I can’t imagine a man giving up his ship for anything less than his true love. I would do the same if it ever came down to it.”

Ushijima nodded; he didn’t know as much about relationships, but he could always see how clearly devoted Iwaizumi was to Oikawa, and though few could ever see it, he knew it was the same for Oikawa. Deep in the early days of his piracy, he had almost killed Iwaizumi in battle. He never forgot the look of fury in Oikawa’s eyes as he held his wounded best friend in his arms; gone was the cool-headed persuasion dripping from his lips, and obliterated was the impenetrable pride he held onto. All that had been left was devotion to Iwaizumi and his hatred for Ushijima for causing him pain.

Ushijima could have ended them both right there, but just the thought of destroying what they had ran his blood cold. Most thought of him as a ruthless killer, but the truth was he considered every life he took. And that day he chose to let them live, and now that he knew how precious a life was when it was loved, he was relieved that he did.

It did not make the choice to give up his ship any easier and sounds of sobs beside him stuck the knife in a little deeper. He turned to see most of his crew in tears and agony at seeing the last moments of their beloved ship. Many of them were angry at him for making the decision to sacrifice her, and he couldn’t blame them. Yet all of them respected him enough to submit to his decision, and for that he was grateful. Mutinies have occurred on pirate ships for more pathetic reasons, and for their loyalty Ushijima would do whatever he could to repay them.

The call rang out to fire, and the cannons emptied their shells into the hull of the Shiratorizawa. Ushijima and his crew were silent as they watched her hull get torn to shreds, wood splintering in the air like fireworks at a festival. It began to crumple like a piece of wadded paper, and slowly sunk beneath the waves, never to be seen again.

Iwaizumi clenched his jaw and turned, patting Ushijima on the shoulder as he walked away.

“Wakatoshi-kun,” Tendou whispered next to him.

Ushijima’s eyes were still fixed on the rippling water, still bubbling as pockets of air drifted up from his beloved ship.

“There’s a tear on your cheek… you might want to clean that up before the others see.”

Ushijima wasn’t sure if he was being helpful or teasing him, but it didn’t matter as he wiped his face and turned towards his crew.

“I know this isn’t easy, and I am sorry to have caused suffering to any of you. From this point on we are absolved from our crimes as Oikawa has promised. It is your decision to return to piracy if you wish, I will support you. If you would like to join one of the other ships I will put in a good word with the Captain of your choice.”

“Oy! Don’t talk about that right now, I can hear everything!” Iwaizumi growled from the upper deck.

Tendou sighed, “What’s piracy if I’m not following you, Wakatoshi-kun? It would be boring! I’m sure I’ll find something else to do.”

Semi nodded solemnly next to him, “Personally, I can’t help but feel like the age of pirates is drawing to an end.”

“Tch, speak for yourself,” Shirabu sneered. “I may not be able to find another Shiratorizawa, but I’ll get my own ship one day.”

Goshiki sniffed and turned to the rest of them, his eyes on fire and his fists clenched in the air. “Yes! I’ll get my own ship too, and one day I’ll be more powerful than you ever were!” He yelled as he pointed straight at Ushijima.

Semi and Tendou cringed at his audacity and peeked at their Captain’s reaction. Ushijima simply gave him a nod.

“I look forward to it, Goshiki.”

No one else said anything more as Goshiki degenerated into a mess of tears.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shimizu and Yachi's friendship... it's seriously the best :)  
> Just to give you an idea we are heading toward the climax, though I'm not sure how many more chapters there will be. I'm guessing it'll stop around 18 or 19. As I always do I'm sure I'll include some one shots or side stories associated with this AU (In case you missed it, there already is one called The Ship of Dreams). I've already put this into a series, so if you don't want to miss any new stories subscribe/bookmark the series or follow me on tumblr since I always post new chapters there.  
> As always, I love your comments! I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but they mean a lot to me :)


	15. Chapter 15

The Nekoma was well hidden as they waited in a cove off the coast of Johzenji. The crew was antsy as they double checked their weapons and ammunitions, ready to throw themselves in the fight. After nearly being caught by the Inarizaki before, they were excited to tear her down with the help of the Fukurodani. When they had arrived on Johzenji a couple days before, they heard tales of many pirates in the area already caught by the formidable Imperial ship, and many ships obliterated into dust by her cannons. Like a great white shark wading through a school of minnows, Kuroo knew the only way to defeat her would be for them to gang up on her. He wished he had thought of it first, instead of being ordered to by none other than Seijoh’s Governor.

There were several _booms_ in the distance and with a snap he jerked his spyglass open and held it up to his eye. He could just see two ships firing on each other, releasing pillars of smoke into the afternoon sky.

With a grin he closed his spyglass and turned toward his crew. His hands fixed the collar of his billowing red coat and he winked. “Let’s go bag us a fox, boys.”

 

“Don’t stop firing!” Moniwa Kaname cried, Captain of the Dateko. He clenched his jaw as he held up his rifle, pointed directly at the boisterous pirate captain firing dual pistols from the deck of the Fukurodani. As if he instinctively knew he was about to be fired upon, Bokuto dropped his body down just as the shot fired off. Immediately he popped back up and gave Moniwa an obnoxious grin.

“Nice shot, Captain! You almost gave me a haircut with that one! Ha ha!” Bokuto fired on Moniwa with the pistol in his right hand, and without looking fired the one in his left at Koganegawa, the bullet grazing the couple strands of black hair amidst his blonde. Koganegawa shrieked and dropped his rifle, his hands shooting up to grasp his head as he ducked below cover. Several of the Fukurodani pirates laughed as they competed on how many soldiers they could hit. Moniwa could hear his first mate Kamasaki growling strings of expletives as he fired off shots at each of the belligerent brigands taunting them and grew even more angry every time he missed.

Moniwa peered around his cover to see they were making a dent into the Fukurodani with their cannon fire, and yet the pirates didn’t seem concerned as they poured their own ammunitions into the Dateko. On any other ship it would worry him, but the Dateko had a sturdier hull than most ships. The Karasuno had been lucky with their well-placed firing, their shells breaking through the less fortified areas. There was a little itch at the back of his mind, hinting that there was some fact he was missing in their present situation, but he ignored it as he continued firing on the pirates.

As he and Kamasaki reloaded their rifles, a couple shadows fell across them as two pirates swung over to their deck while the others threw grappling hooks to connect the two ships.

“Those idiots, can’t they tell we’re the stronger ship?” Kamasaki growled as he whipped out his sword, leaving his rifle sitting beside the barrel. He engaged a sandy-haired pirate with mischievous eyes, who met every clash of the sword with an expert parry of his own.

“Kick his ass, Konoha!” Bokuto yelled from the other ship.

“With pleasure, Captain!” He snickered as he taunted Kamisaki with the blade in his hand.

Moniwa bit his lip as he watched his friend grow angrier, using more force than necessary as he forced his sword against his opposition. He was unsure if he should try to shoot the pirate and rescue his friend, but that would probably piss Kamisaki off even more. He turned his attention to the other pirate that had swung over, a graceful pirate with sharp, green eyes in a similarly colored yukata, dueling Futakuchi with not one blade, but two. Futakuchi clenched his jaw as he blocked each quick slash, but he was growing weary while the other pirate showed no signs of stopping.

Moniwa took a deep breath and gazed over at the other ship, digging his rifle into his shoulder as he made his mark. Bokuto seemed momentarily distracted at something behind Moniwa, who figured he was watching his pirate clash with Kamasaki. Moniwa peered through the viewfinder and took aim straight at Bokuto’s heart. Suddenly, the ship jerked from something just as Moniwa fired. He gasped as he reached out to grip onto something, glancing up to see that he had grazed Bokuto’s side instead. The pirate captain immediately took cover while several pirates shouted out for someone named Yukie.

Moniwa smiled as he had provided just the amount of distraction they needed to retake control of the situation. He reloaded quickly and raised his rifle back up to his shoulder, anxious to take down another pirate.

Everything seemed to halt at once: the cannons, the shouts, the rifles and the clashing of swords. Even Moniwa froze as he felt a circle of cold metal press against his temple.

“That’ll be enough of that, Captain Good-Boy,” A sly voice said right behind him, sending goosebumps flickering down his neck. Moniwa gulped and uncocked his rifle, relaxing it in his hands. “That’s better... now stand up slowly and drop it.”

Moniwa complied, raising his hands slowly as he straightened up. His eyes flickered around to see an entirely new pirate crew already on board the Dateko and ushering the rest of his crew up from the hatchway.

“Who are you?” He asked tentatively. The man behind him gave his shoulder a shove, turning him around. Moniwa’s eyes widened as he recognized the fearsome pirate from the stories, his mess of black hair, glittering eyes and maniacal grin. The same pirate who had torn Captain Sawamura’s life apart in a matter of days, and knowing what a strong-willed person his old friend was he couldn’t imagine what terrors Kuroo Tetsurou had put him through. In no time at all both pirate crews were on board the Dateko, had sabotaged the rudder and sails, and tied up the crew.

“Is he alright, Akaashi?” Kuroo asked the yukata-clad pirate with the cool attitude.

“Yes, the bullet grazed his side and was bleeding quite a bit, but Yukie was able to stop it quickly.”

Kuroo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “That’s a relief.” His eyes popped up and zeroed in on Moniwa. “You’re lucky he lived, that idiot’s one of my best friends. Now, I’m going to ask you this once, and I want a clear answer from you. Where is the Inarizaki?”

Moniwa blinked in surprise and licked his lips nervously before answering the question. “It was a last-minute decision, but Admiral Kita decided to take the Edo route instead. We didn’t even have time to inform the Commodore about it.”

“Edo, then that means…” Kuroo’s eyes grew wide and he jerked his head to look over the horizon toward the direction of Edo. “ _Sawamura_.”

 

Immediately after ensuring the safety of Ukai and Yachi on the island of Saga, the Karasuno set sail toward the island of Edo. They sailed on the western side of the island mainly, lying in wait for the Dateko to emerge in the distance and try to catch them off guard. After a couple hours without sighting a ship, however, Daichi began to have seeds of doubt sprouting in his mind. It was the feeling he typically got when a storm was brewing, but there was no sign of a physical storm approaching. The last time he had such a feeling was when they were attacked by the Nekoma. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t expecting a ship to appear and a fight to ensue; that was the plan. But the Dateko should have been there already, and her absence began to build tension in Daichi’s muscles.

He glanced up at Hinata, who was poised up in his crow’s nest and alert as always. The rest of the crew seemed as antsy as he did, pacing up and down the decks and rechecking their equipment and weaponry. There was no sign of Tsukishima, but Daichi knew he was most likely rechecking navigational maps in his cabin.

“Are you alright, Daichi?” Suga asked as he walked up the steps to join him.

“I’m a bit on edge, we should have found them by now. Do you think their repairs took longer than we thought?”

Suga shook his head as he gazed back out at the sea, the wind pushing his grey hair away from his face. “I doubt it, we only did enough damage to get away.”

“Regardless, is everyone ready to fight?”

Suga nodded and opened his mouth, but a shout from Hinata grabbed both their attentions.

“Captain! A ship coming in, and it looks to be moving fast!”

Daichi turned and opened his spyglass, holding it up to his eye as he spanned the horizon. He could just see the details of the ship but knew Hinata probably had a better view from above.

“Hinata, can you tell what kind of ship it is? Is it the Dateko?”

Hinata was silent for a moment, peering through his own spyglass with his mouth hanging open as he focused. “It looks too big to be the Dateko, she’s got more decks! Looks Imperial though.”

“Daichi, you don’t think…”

“That it’s the Inarizaki? It most likely is, we should have been prepared for this.”

“Did Oikawa betray us?”

“I’m not sure, but there’s no point worrying about it now. Open the rest of the sails! Let’s pick up some speed!” Daichi yelled and the crew scattered across the deck, pulling ropes and tying them off. Daichi turned back to Suga, “Maybe we can lose them, I doubt we’d actually win at a fight.”

The Karasuno picked up speed as they sailed along the coast, aiming to sail past the island and escape on the open sea. But the Inarizaki wasn’t about to be left behind. The daunting ship barreled towards them at impressive speed. Daichi continued watching from his spyglass, his heart pounding harder as they approached.

“Yamaguchi, turn toward starboard! We can’t let them pin us against the island!” As soon as the Karasuno began to veer, the Inarizaki began to shift course slightly to mirror them but still traveling forward fast. Any moment and they would be in range.

“Ready the cannons!” Daichi heard his command echoed by Ennoshita who was close to the hatchway and could hear the affirmative cries of his crew members down below. An explosion echoed across the water from the direction of the Inarizaki, and the cannonball plunged into the water several feet away from the hull, too close for Daichi’s comfort.

“Turn her a bit back, Yamaguchi, and keep her steady.” He called over his shoulder.

“Aye, aye, Captain!”

With the metal spyglass pushing into his face, Daichi could see they were in range of the Inarizaki’s cannons, but the other ship was also in range of theirs.

“Fire a shot!”

The Karasuno rocked as a cannonball shot from below, whistling through the air and plunging into the hull of the Inarizaki.

“We hit her, Captain!” Hinata called from above.

“Fire more shots! Let her have it!” Below the deck he could hear Tanaka’s shouts of glee as he readied his own cannon and fired upon the Inarizaki. His shell also landed in the hull of the giant ship, but it didn’t seem to slow it down. The Inarizaki began releasing cannon fire of its own, and they had more guns and more crew than they did. Several shells came whizzing toward them, plunging into the hull of their ship. Luckily none of them hit where his crew was stationed below, and they continued to fire. They were close enough that he could see they were vastly outnumbered, even with just the crew on the Inarizaki’s main deck. Boarding her and sabotaging was out of the question, but Daichi felt his other options growing limited as their pursuer exploded with more cannon fire.

Below the deck, Asahi, Tanaka, and Kageyama continuously reloaded their cannons and fired upon the Inarizaki. Narita ran back and forth from the powder room to the cannons, delivering fresh bags of powder for every new shot. Any spare powder could result in an unintentional explosion on board their own ship, so he carefully handled each bag as the ship rocked around them. Kinoshita slipped in after every shot to clean out the cannon and ready it for its next round of ammunition. Asahi had a lot of stamina, but the heat from the guns had sweat pouring down his face. It was the same for Tanaka and Kageyama, but each of them kept their focus as they unloaded their shells into the Inarizaki. A shell exploded through the side of the ship, closer to the bow, and Asahi only spared it a glance as he lit the next fuse. After it exploded, Kageyama readied his own. Even in the heat of battle they were coordinated, moving together like a well-rehearsed dance. Kageyama had his cannon reloaded and fired, an expertly timed shot that took out one of the Inarizaki’s cannons.

“Nice kill, Kageyama!” Tanaka shouted over the raucous sounds of battle. Kageyama pulled his cannon back to be cleaned when a shell broke through and landed straight through his firing window. It blew the 1200-pound cannon backwards, emitting splinters of wood and sparks as it plowed through the other side of the ship and into the ocean.

“Kageyama!” Tanaka yelled when he saw his kouhai laying on the floor where he’d been blown back, his eyes squeezed shut and blood spreading through his shirt.

On the main deck, Daichi had seen the shell plow into one of their cannons. The blast had rocked the ship, and he immediately had the sick feeling it may have taken out one of his crew members as well. As he regained his footing, he searched the deck for one particular crew member.

“Nishinoya! Get below and check on them!” He shouted, and Nishinoya flew over to the hatchway and disappeared into it. “They’re in range of our rifles, pick them off from above!”

Most of the crew remaining on the main deck scrambled to the side of the ship to take cover, pulling out their rifles and pistols. Shots fired from both sides, but none of them were well aimed since the Inarizaki was sailing alongside them a good 300 ft off. Though the Karasuno had slowed its speed as they gained holes in their ship and sails, the expert Inarizaki had slowed their own ship to compensate so they could continue firing upon them.

“Try to aim for whoever’s at the helm! Take down their sails if you can. Aim for damage, not total annihilation. We’re not going to have that today!” Daichi commanded. He heard no cries of affirmation, but he didn’t need it. He could hear the shots firing out from his crew and the bullets ricocheting closer his given marks. Hinata narrowly avoided a bullet even from up in the crow’s nest, and he remained huddled until his rifle was fully loaded. Cautiously he straightened just enough to aim his rifle over the ledge and peer over it, aiming carefully. He fired, and the bullet struck the hand of the man at the helm. It wasn’t the cleanest shot, but it was enough to cause a little disarray on the main deck as the man cried out in pain and fell back.

“Well done!” Daichi called from below. “Now take out the rest of them! Don’t let them gain control!” With their hearts pounding and hands shaking, the crew of the Karasuno continued reloading their rifles and firing them at the crew of the Inarizaki.

The Inarizaki retaliated by unloading more well-placed cannon fire into the hull. The Karasuno rocked to the side but didn’t correct itself as it started to take on water. Daichi could hear the cheers from the other ship, and the shouts of chaos from his own. He paused a moment to weigh the options they had before them, and it was agony trying to decide between them. Instinctively, Suga made his way towards him, his eyes wide with fear but focused with determination.

“Your orders, Captain?”

Daichi licked his lips. “Ready the longboats.”

“We’re abandoning ship?” Suga said in nearly a whisper.

“I always thought I’d die with her one day, but I won’t sacrifice the lives of the crew. Get them ready, Suga,” He said, a bit firmer as he gained confidence in his decision. Suga’s breath shuddered but nodded as he ran off to give the orders to the crew.

On board the Inarizaki, Admiral Kita stood toward the bow with his spyglass to his eye. His other arm was wrapped in a bandage from his shoulder injury, so he kept to the side as his crew managed most of the fighting. He could see the Karasuno leaning in the water, already taking on water from their onslaught of cannon fire.

“Hey Cap’n!” Miya Atsumu called, leaning on a poll with a smirk on his face. “What’re yer orders? Want us to board and round ‘em up?”

Kita lowered his spyglass with silent contemplation. He turned his eyes to Atsumu and shook his head. “No. Get as many crew members below and have them load all the cannons. Then have them fire on the Karasuno as soon as they’re ready.”

The smirk slid from Atsumu’s face, his eyes widened in genuine surprise. “We’re not taking ‘em prisoner?”

“Typically, I would, but these pirates of the Caribbean have proven to be a slippery bunch. It will be safer to bury them at sea. Atsumu… ready the cannons.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I marked the ending at 17 chapters, but that's liable to change!


	16. What do we say to the god of death?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is totally ripped from Game of Thrones, but I couldn't help it. In case you don't know, the quote is "What do we say to the god of death? Not today."

Yamaguchi whimpered as he held onto the wheel with a white-knuckle grip. His breath shuddered against the wood, wondering if he was living his last moments on Earth. Everyone was scrambling around the main deck as they prepared the longboats before the next onslaught of cannon fire, which they knew could come at any moment. He glanced up to see Nishinoya and Asahi guiding a pale-faced Kageyama toward the boats. His shirt had been completely torn off due to his injuries and looked partially mummified from the quick bandaging Nishinoya fabricated.

Yamaguchi pursed his lips and breathed deeply through his nose, not moving from his post. The Captain had not given him orders to move, and he would not disobey. He never considered himself a brave person, and in that moment that was the furthest thing from his mind. All he cared about was doing what he could to ensure his dearest friends would be safe, even if that meant staying on the ship until he was the last one on board.

“Yamaguchi,” Daichi’s deep voice called from beside him. He jerked in surprise and turned his head toward him, seeing the Captain’s jaw clenched and his eyes dark with sadness. “I can take it from here. Go to the boats.”’

“But--”

“No _buts_ … go.”

Yamaguchi let out a sob, overwhelmed by the fear and other emotions he’d been holding back. Daichi’s hand gripped his shoulder and guided him back, and with trembling fingers he released the knobs of the wheel. He gulped and nodded as his feet stumbled backward.

“Yes, Captain.”

Daichi calmly took the wheel and watched Yamaguchi scurry down the steps. He was angry with himself that his poor kouhai had to suffer and wait, but he tried to focus instead on praying they all make it to safety in time. In the distance he heard the shouts from the Inarizaki, calling for their cannons to be loaded and aimed. None had been fired for a couple minutes, and it gave Daichi the sick feeling that they were building up to unload them all at once and blow the Karasuno to bits.

He glanced off to the side to gaze across the ocean waves surrounding them. The angle was all wrong as the bow of the Karasuno began to drift lower into a murky grave. Narrowing his eyes, he gazed at the massive Inarizaki, scouring the deck as he searched out the Admiral. He thought he could see him hovering safely among the masts and staying away from the fight due to his injury. With his mind, Daichi marked him should he live past that day to make his life a living nightmare. It was one thing to destroy his ship, but the Admiral trying to snuff out the lives of his crew candles brewed a boiling wrath inside him that was unquenchable. He glanced down at his belt and saw the dagger Yachi had given him all those weeks ago, though it seemed more like years. Their beloved crows were etched on them, and he let one of his hands slip off the wheel to graze the dark figures set against the gold. In his mind he whispered a vow, that should he die with the Karasuno, he come back as a vengeful ghost to haunt the Inarizaki until they go mad or perish.

Daichi shook his head and glanced up to see his crew’s progress. He didn’t have time for thoughts of revenge when he still needed to ensure his crew’s safety. The first boat was fully loaded with their youngest crewmembers and a few more to look after them. Suga glanced his way and furrowed his eyebrows when he saw his determination to stay where he was.

“Get them out of here, Suga!” Daichi growled, and he could practically hear Suga make an indignant noise as he turned back to signal the first boat to lower.

Just as the ropes began to creek and the boat jerk into motion, he heard the sickening calls to fire echo across the water. Explosions erupted from the side of the Inarizaki as cannon balls whistled through the air. Everyone held on tight as the ship rocked from the collision, the longboat swinging precariously from the ropes.

“Keep lowering!” Daichi called. “They’re not gonna stop!”

Tanaka and Asahi rushed to lower the first boat, all the crewmembers in it looking terrified at leaving any friends behind. Hinata nearly climbed back onto the ship, but Tsukishima yanked him onto his lap and held him tight. They were finally out of sight for Daichi, and he hoped they could make it into the water before any shells came close. The ship was tipping even further, and he wondered if it was time to let go of the wheel. He didn’t want to, though it was his only chance of survival. After all, he couldn’t guarantee if he died that the gods would change him into some sort of poltergeist.

He licked his lips and took one more look out over the horizon that he loved, the waves and the sky working together in ways man had yet to understand. Another round of cannon fire was bursting from the other ship, and he knew he had to let go. His fingers began to loosen from the wood when a shadow slipped into his peripheral vision. Daichi’s eyes widened with shock as the Nekoma slid between the Karasuno and the Inarizaki, taking on the cannon fire meant for his own ship.

The Nekoma pirates were ready for a fight, already firing cannons of their own and unloading rifle fire from the main deck. Gripping the helm was the legendary Kuroo Tetsurou, his messy black hair flowing down over his blazing eyes as his red coat billowed behind him. He yelled out for the anchor to be dropped, announcing to the world that he intended to shield Daichi and his ship completely.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Daichi screamed across to the other ship.

Kuroo stole a quick glance over and even in the chaos of the moment shot Daichi a wink. “Did you miss me, My Love?”

“They’re gonna obliterate you!”

“Don’t worry! We didn’t come alone!”

 

The cannon fire on board the Inarizaki paused for just a moment from the shock of another pirate ship slipping between them and the Karasuno. As soon as the crew recognized it as the Nekoma, the ship that nearly killed their beloved Admiral Kita, their blood ran hot and focused all their attention on destroying them. They shot their cannons and fired their rifles with fanatical fervor, but Kita dropped his jaw as he observed the Nekoma’s selfless behavior.

It was completely absurd for a ship of pirates to throw themselves into harm’s way to save another; it changed everything he believed about pirates. His heart was racing in his chest as he wondered if perhaps he’d gone too far. His grey eyes flickered around to his own crew as they acted with one mind, and that was to bring death. Intense regret sunk its icy fingers into his chest, realizing that he was becoming a harbinger of hate, something he never could have imagined. They were the Inarizaki, who fought to keep the waters peaceful and to protect the innocent. Where had it all gone wrong?

Suddenly the ship jerked violently, and Kita and most of the crew fell onto the deck, their weapons scattering. He glanced up to see small bombs rain down and explode among them, one igniting one of the sails and setting it aflame. Behind the bombs came an entirely different crew of pirates swinging onto the deck and attacking his crew before they could hardly stand back up. Two slick footed pirates slipped down the hatchway, and Kita could hear utter chaos erupt from below. The pirates were vastly outnumbered, but from the hungry look in their eyes it didn’t worry them in the slightest.

Kita shut his eyes for a moment as he remained under cover and breathed deeply. Whether or not he caused this, he was a respected Admiral of the Imperial Navy. Despite his injury, he had a duty to uphold. If death took ahold of him that day, there was no one he could blame but himself. His eyes opened, and he gripped onto the railing to lift himself up. His arm that was not bandaged reached to his sheath and yanked out his sword, releasing a metallic ring of strength that gave him courage. He held it out in front of him in defense as he shuffled down the steps, determined to defend his men as they defended him. Most of the pirates were already engaged with two of his crew members to every one pirate at least, and yet they still seemed to be winning.

A shadow fell across him, a large figure completely blocking the sun as he balanced on the railing of the ship. Kita turned and gaped at the most astounding person he had ever seen. He imagined he was staring face to face with the captain of the pirates currently attacking them with the way his confidence flowed off his skin in waves. His eyes looked like fire underneath his thick eyebrows cocked with amusement while his mouth was open in a grin, showing off a couple gold teeth. Kita’s eyes drifted lower to see the pirate wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath his light blue coat, his ribcage wrapped tightly in white bandages with one area stained brown with dried blood. Everything about the pirate screamed of an untamable wildness, complete chaos and the antithesis to Kita’s world of predictable order. He was the most incredible thing Kita had ever seen, and his mouth went dry at the sight of him.

The pirate hung lazily from a rope as he balanced on the railing, his head cocked as he observed Kita closely at the same time Kita was watching him. His eyes only left to flicker around at his crew as they conquered every soldier they came across, while Kuroo’s crew took care of the rest with their rifles. With a surge of energy, he gripped the rope and swung his feet off the railing, landing on the deck in front of Kita. He straightened up, revealing that he was not only more muscular than him, but he stood nearly half a foot taller. Kita trembled as the pirate took a step toward him, his golden eyes continuing to look him over.

“Well, well… we meet at last Admiral Kita. It was only a day or two ago you were shot, and here you are with a sword in your hands. Admirable.” His voice was deep and rough, with almost a teasing growl as he drew even closer.

Kita blinked as he realized the pirate captain was waiting for a response. “It’s my duty… nothing more. You look injured as well.”

The pirate released a bellowing laugh to the sky and shook his head. “This? It’s nothing, just a little scrape. Care for a little duel, Admiral? I’ll even put one hand behind my back, just to equal the playing field.”

Kita watched as the pirate placed his hand behind his back, and with the other hand removed his own sword. He looked up into the pirate’s eyes glinting with challenge, and a rare feeling burst like a pulse through Kita’s blood. A desire to fight for his own pride, rather than anyone else’s.

He lifted his chin and tightened his grip on his sword, crossing it in front of himself for protection.

“Yes, I am ready.”

The pirate chuckled with glee and hopped forward, twisting his sword to sneak past Kita’s, but Kita blocked it with precision.

“Oh ho! Very impressive!” The Captain encouraged him as their swords continued to beat against each other. Kita wasn’t sure if it was irritation or pleasure swirling in his chest from his adversary’s words, but he had no time to dwell on it. The pirate was extremely skilled, and it took every bit of focus for him to block every swipe. One thing he did notice was that the captain kept his word, and his left arm remained pinned behind his back.

Sparks flew as the metal of their swords clashed, and Bokuto’s wild golden eyes remained locked with Kita’s calm grey. As their feet danced around the deck, neither took any notice to the fading storm around them. The entire crew of the Inarizaki was either injured, unconscious or captured by the crew of the Fukurodani. Even the crew from the lower decks had been rounded up quickly and brought up with their hands bound. The crew of the Fukurodani blatantly ignored the fierce duel their Captain was enjoying as they ensured the complete capture of the Inarizaki.

“I can’t believe he didn’t surrender,” Suna muttered as he narrowed his eyes at the duel, his knees already aching from kneeling on the hard deck.

“He’s an Admiral of the Imperial Navy with a reputation for hunting pirates… you expected him to just give up?” Ojiro answered him curtly. He had been with the Admiral the longest, and with his maturity seemed to understand their leader the best.

“But he’s injured. If we were in his place he would have had us stand down,” Miya said on his other side as he wiggled against his rope bindings. He earned a rap on the head from one of the Fukurodani pirates passing by.

“His job is to care for and manage the crew, so of course he’d have us stand down. That’s not to say he’d do the same if it was himself. Still… there’s a look in his eyes I’ve never seen. It’s strange to say, but I think he’s enjoying himself.”

Suna clenched his jaw and shook his head. “I swear if that pirate murders him I’m gonna flip out.” There was a snort above him, and he turned to see one of the taller pirates with a wide, amused grin.

“Don’t worry about that. The Captain doesn’t waste anything he finds of value.”

“What does that mean?”

The pirate didn’t answer but looked back at the Captain and the Admiral rushing around the open deck with their swords moving in a blur. Kita was obviously running out of breath, and though sweat was dripping down Bokuto’s face, he hardly seemed winded as he pushed more aggressively against him. Kita was so focused on the man in front of him he did not take note of his surroundings. He tripped and fell back onto the steps toward the quarter deck, landing hard against his back. His eyes had instinctively shut against the sharp pain in his spine, and as he opened them gazed at the cool steel hovering close to his throat, reflecting the blue sky like a mirror.

“Looks like I win.” As the pirate spoke in a teasing tone, it did not hold any malicious intent as it should have since Kita was convinced his death was near. Still, he raised his chin and gazed at the pirate with every bit of strength he could muster.

“Yes, you have. Please make it quick.”

The pirate cocked his head. “Make what quick?”

“My death.”

Kita frowned when the pirate snorted. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna have anything to do with your death. You conceded your defeat, that’s really all I needed. Oh, and let go of your sword.”

Kita’s mouth hung open in shock, but with a start his fingers released the grip they had on the hilt of his sword. The pirate’s smile broadened as he kicked Kita’s sword away and sheathed his own at his belt. Kita shrieked when he surged forward and gripped onto his arms, lifting him up to his feet and holding him close.

“Now then, you’re coming with me.”

 

As soon as the cannon fire from the Inarizaki stalled, Kuroo had most of his crew concentrate on firing shots with their rifles to support the Fukurodani. The rest he had assisting the Karasuno crew to the safety of the Nekoma. Daichi stayed on board until he was the last one left, walking across the gangplank and accepting the slender hand stretched out to greet him.

“You’re insane,” He said as he gripped onto Kuroo’s hand, stepping onto the deck and immediately into Kuroo’s embrace.

“I can’t deny it. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just so relieved everyone lived. I didn’t think we would.”

Kuroo nuzzled his face into Daichi’s hair, tightening his grip around him. “I know, when Moniwa told us they had switched places I feared the worst. We came rushing over here almost that moment.”

“So, they switched places. Do you think Oikawa--”

“Nah, he had no idea. Moniwa admitted it was a last-minute change Kita had made, and they didn’t have a chance to tell Iwaizumi. As soon as he told us, in fact, we spotted the Aoba Johsai on the horizon, so we left them all tied up and scurried away. I doubt anyone will suspect the honorable Commodore.”

Daichi sighed into Kuroo’s chest. “I see. I’m exhausted.”

Kuroo barked out a laugh and rubbed his back. “Don’t worry, sounds like it’s just about over.”

Daichi opened his eyes and leaned back, his eyes looking over Kuroo curiously. “Are you wearing your coat?”

“Oh yeah, I can’t go into battle without it. My ego gets really big when I wear it, and that’s imperative in a fight.”

“Doesn’t it still say _Captain Dickhead_ on the back?”

Kuroo shrugged, “Yeah, but I admit it kinda suits me. I did make one change though.” He turned around to give Daichi a view of the back. Daichi snickered when he saw Kuroo had made some artistic alterations to make the shaft look significantly larger.

“Whatever helps your ego.”

All signs of fighting aboard the Inarizaki had finally ended, including the impressive duel between Admiral Kita and Bokuto. Since the captured crew was too large to fit in the Fukurodani’s brig, they decided to split the prisoners up. A third remained on the Fukurodani, another on the Nekoma, and the last stranded in a longboat to drift into the beach at Edo, which was nearby. Bokuto decided to sail on ahead toward Johzenji for some brief repairs and to spread the news that the Inarizaki had been defeated.

Before they left, the two remaining pirate captains stood on the deck of the Nekoma to gaze at what was left of the Karasuno. Now that his crew was out of danger, the devastation of seeing what was left of his ship overwhelmed Daichi. There was no saving her this time, her hull completely shredded as she bobbed in the water, slowly drifting deeper beneath the surface. Kuroo glanced over at him, his eyebrows knitted together.

“What do you want to do, Sawamura?”

A small flicker of warmth spread through Daichi at the question. Kuroo knew there was nothing else to do, but he still allowed Daichi to make the final call of his ship. He reached his hand out without looking, his fingers grazing Kuroo’s and immediately they were enveloped by them. He glanced to his other side, where his crew were huddled together and listening intently. Daichi shook his head, and they all cast their eyes down in sorrow, a couple of them sniffling through their tears. Daichi turned back and stared at his beloved ship, looking over every inch of her as he released the verdict.

“There’s no saving her. Let’s try to retrieve what we can, my men still have some personal effects onboard. And then… will you help me bury her?”

Kuroo nodded. “Yeah, whatever you want.”

Daichi allowed only a few crew members to walk back to quickly scoop up the more important items and delivered them safely to the Nekoma. After that was done, Kai and Fukunaga carefully made their way over with their arms full of explosives, just enough to completely submerge the ship. As soon as they made their way up with a line of powder trailing to the main deck, they released the grappling hooks and swung over to the deck of the Nekoma. The crew of the Karasuno watched with their hearts sinking under the weight of their pain and bid farewell as Daichi pointed his gun at the line of powder. He fired, sparking it into life as the flame immediately traveled down below.

“Raise the anchor! Open up the sails before we get blown up ourselves!” Kuroo shouted, and his crew scampered about to obey his orders. The Nekoma immediately began to drift away, putting more and more distance between them and the wreckage of the Karasuno. About a minute later, a flash erupted from the heart of the ship, and the deafening explosion tore it to shreds. Daichi stood with his crew at the stern of the Nekoma, watching as the last pieces of the Karasuno sunk below the depths of the ocean and into her final grave.

“What do we do now?” Ennoshita whispered, his eyes bloodshot as more tears rimmed in the corners.

Suga shook his head. “For now, let’s just be grateful we survived. We still have people out there who care about us: Our families, the Ukai’s, Yachi and our new friends and lovers. Because we lived, we have the pleasure of figuring out what to do next.”

As his friend gave his encouraging speech, Daichi finally released a few tears of his own, since he had been holding back til then. “Thanks, Suga. Honestly, I had no words myself.”

“That’s fine… you may be the Captain and we all rely on you, but she was _your_ ship. No one will grieve her as much as you will.”

“Sawamura,” Kuroo called behind him. He turned to see Kuroo looking more hesitant than he’d ever seen him, hovering further back so he didn’t intrude on his moment with his crew.

“What is it?” Daichi asked, walking toward him.

“Kai can help your doctor look over everyone in the crew’s quarters, and they can rest there if they’d like.”

Daichi’s face softened, though he couldn’t quite muster up a smile under the circumstances. “Thank you, Kuroo. I’m sure we’d all appreciate that.”

They followed Kuroo over to the hatchway with heavy, shuffling feet and filed down below where Kai was waiting. Daichi was about to follow them when Kuroo grasped his arm and pulled him close.

“If you’d like you can rest in my cabin. I figured you might want a little privacy for a while.”

Daichi looked hesitantly down after his crew, but Kuroo gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. “Kai will take care of them, don’t worry… our brig is full at the moment.”

His quip was enough to quirk up the side of Daichi’s mouth, and he nodded. “Alright, thank you.” As he entered the cabin, it seemed the same as the last time he’d been there, though he could see a quick patch job on a couple walls where cannons had pummeled through. The sun had already begun its descent toward rolling ocean waves, casting the cabin in a serene orange glow. Since it would be dark soon, Kuroo entered the cabin with him to light some candles. When he was finished he drew the curtains over the windows framing the cabin doors. He placed his hands on the knob but hesitated before turning them.

“Listen, I know I said you’d probably want your privacy,” He spoke softly toward the door instead of turning around, “But if you want company I can stay. No pressure though, I know what you’ve just been through. And I know that I’ve been an ass with the whole selling off your ship in the first place, so I imagine I’m not the person you’d want to stay, but I can always fetch one of your friends if you’d like--” He stopped his nervous chatter when he felt two hands hold the edges of his coat and Daichi’s forehead resting on his back.

“I’d like you to stay. In fact, I change my mind about resting; that’s not what I want.”

Kuroo bit his lip as his mouth spread into a smile. “What is it that you want?”

Daichi gripped his sides and forced him around. As soon as they faced each other Daichi pinned Kuroo up against the door and stretched up on his toes, his face still not quite meeting Kuroo’s. “ _You,_ ” Daichi whispered and wrapped his fingers in Kuroo’s shirt, pulling him down into a heated kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a roller coaster of emotions, I know. Writing it I teared up a few times when the Karasuno boys thought they were gonna die.   
> I love your comments, let me know what you think! Also I have one (maybe 2?? we'll see how it wraps up) chapter left, but I have thought about doing some extra stories in the series to follow the extra characters or to see what Kuroo and Daichi are doing in the future, so let me know if there are any characters you definitely want to see more of! The more feedback I get, the more likely I am to write it :)


	17. What seems like an ending is only the beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *NSFW Warning!!*

Kuroo wanted to squeeze his eyes shut, completely lose himself in the pressure mounting in his pelvic region, the heat pulsing every time Daichi came down hard on top of him, or the tantalizing graze of Daichi’s rough fingertips ghosting across his chest. He wanted to shut his eyes, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the gorgeous man panting on top of him. Daichi’s sculpted body was in full view as he straddled Kuroo on the bed in his cabin, taking complete control of the situation himself. His nipples were delectably perky, sweat curling around them and traveling down his flexing stomach. Kuroo wanted to lick his skin clean, but he was doing all he could to keep up with Daichi’s quick pace, gripping his fingers into the firm thighs on either side of him. His eyes traveled up the curves of Daichi’s neck, the straight line of his jaw, and instantly flickering to his mouth when his tongue slid out and curled around his lips. Daichi gasped and looked down at him, not losing his momentum.

“Did you just get bigger?” He said hoarsely, cocking an eyebrow at Kuroo.

“I have no idea, but you’re killing me with your sex appeal.”

Daichi’s mouth spread into a wicked grin, and his eyes greedily devoured Kuroo as they traveled across his body. “You’re one to talk about sex appeal. You look so good, all laid out for me.” He continued rocking up and down on Kuroo while he bent forward, his fingers gripping his sides as he ran a tongue up his stomach.

Kuroo’s eyes snapped shut as he groaned toward the ceiling, the pressure spiking so high he thought he was going to burst. He could hear their skin slapping together and Daichi’s heavy breath as it puffed across his damp skin. As Daichi’s tongue ran in circles over his nipple, Kuroo’s hands left the stability of Daichi’s thighs to grip into his soft, black hair instead. He wondered how Daichi was able to keep his tongue firmly against his skin when it felt like his heart was slamming against the walls of his chest; he figured his heart beat would bounce him right off. Daichi didn’t seem dissuaded in the least, thoroughly enjoying the whines escaping Kuroo’s throat as he struggled to maintain his composure. Kuroo’s hands stretched down to rake at Daichi’s back, and he felt the firm muscles shiver under his fingertips.

At last Daichi took pity on Kuroo and released his nipple, straightening back up to give Kuroo another feast for his eyes. Now that he was upright he picked up the pace, his thighs flexing underneath him as he stretched up and slammed back down onto Kuroo. As Kuroo’s mind began to grow fuzzy from the intensity, he quickly decided he didn’t want to cum just laying there pathetically. He curled his body up and wrapped his arms around Daichi’s back, his mouth immediately attaching to Daichi’s throat and letting his tongue lick across his skin. A moan reverberated so roughly from Daichi, Kuroo could feel the vibrations through his lips. Their slick bodies rubbed together as they moved in unison, Daichi’s leaking cock receiving some extra friction from the contact. Kuroo grinned against his neck as he heard Daichi’s mounting cries of ecstasy and his fingers gripping into Kuroo’s hair. Just hearing his voice losing control was enough to make him lose it as well.

All at once he felt Daichi go rigid, his hot seed erupting between them as he worked through his orgasm. With his inner walls clenching around Kuroo, he released as well, burying his face into Daichi’s chest and breathing in the musky scent he’d come to love so much. From there he could hear the racing throb of Daichi’s heartbeat and he kept his eyes shut as he listened, relief showering over him that he could hear it at least one more time. He didn’t mention it before to Daichi, but when he heard the Inarizaki had gone after him, he feared he’d be too late to save him. If anything had happened to Daichi, he wasn’t sure what he would have done. He wouldn’t have left any of the Inarizaki crew alive, that’s for sure.

Kuroo sighed and released away the negative thoughts. Daichi was safe and resting in his arms and had once again given him some of the best sex he’d ever had.

“You’d better be careful, Sawamura.”

“Hmm, why’s that?” Daichi murmured sleepily into his hair.

“You keep giving my sex like that I’m gonna tie you up and keep you here as my sex slave.” Kuroo smiled when he heard Daichi’s deep chuckle.

“That’s if I don’t tie you up first and make you mine.”

“Oh, ho! You know I don’t think I’d mind that too much,” Kuroo purred as he nuzzled his face against him. With great reluctance they peeled themselves apart and quickly cleaned themselves up. Neither was in the mood to see anyone else that evening, so as soon as the candles around them were blown out, they both crawled underneath the covers of Kuroo’s bed. Kuroo typically slept on his stomach with his head pinned between two pillows, but with his snuggly companion he was perfectly satisfied laying on his back with Daichi wrapped up in his arms.

The sun had finally dipped below the waves, and the only light visible in the cabin was from streams of pale moonlight pouring in from the windows. Everything was quiet except for the creaking of the ship and the dampened sound of the ocean waves carrying them away. Kuroo could hardly keep his eyes open, but strands of thought filled with concern for Daichi kept him from drifting off.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it felt really good.”

Kuroo laughed softly. “I’m glad, but that’s not what I meant.”

“Hmm? Oh… not really but I will be.”

“I know you haven’t had much time to think about it, but do you know what you’ll do now?”

“Well, the first thing is fetching Ukai and Yachi from our island. I may need your help with that if you don’t mind.”

“You mean I finally get to see your secret hideout?!”

Daichi snorted, “Only where it is, you’re not setting foot on my island if I can help it.”

“Wait, you have a whole island?”

“Well, me and the crew.”

“Wow that’s impressive. Sure, I’ll take you there. And after that?”

Daichi was silent a few moments, but Kuroo didn’t rush him, knowing how heavy the question was.

“I think I’ll build another ship. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks, actually. The Karasuno was an incredible ship, and she was my first ship. However, she was never suited for the kind of life we’ve been living. She was too small to be intimidating, and not fast enough to evade danger. Whether or not we continue living a life of piracy or treasure hunting, we need something that will ensure my crew will never be so close to death as we just were.”

“I think that’s a good idea. You know, there was a captain of the Nekoma before me.”

“Nekomata, right?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Ukai-san told me. Apparently the elder Ukai-san and him used to chase each other around the Caribbean.”

Kuroo laughed, remembering all the old stories his old mentor used to tell him about the grouchy, strong-willed sea captain. “Yeah, that’s right. Well, he built the Nekoma from scratch, but there was actually one before it he had bought as a young man.”

“Really? There was another Nekoma?”

“Yeah, but it didn’t last very long. Like you said it wasn’t built for this kind of life, and Nekomata had his own ideas. It didn’t mean he didn’t love his first ship, he said it was a part of who he was, and always would be. He even got a tattoo of its silhouette put on his back. Last time I saw that tattoo it was looking pretty lumpy though.” They chuckled together at the thought, and Daichi bit his lip as he wondered about it.

“Hmm, maybe I should do that. Get a tattoo of the Karasuno.”

“Exactly! One of the Karasuno here,” He teased as his fingers grazed across his back, earning a growl from Daichi. “Aaaaaand maybe my name in a heart over here on this juicy bicep.” He gave Daichi’s arm a squeeze and yelped when Daichi pinched the skin on his stomach.

Daichi lifted himself up, giving Kuroo a smirk before eyeing up Kuroo’s naked body. “I might consider it, but I’d expect it to be reciprocated and I’m not sure you’ve got any room.”

“I do! I have a spot saved right here, just for you.” Kuroo made a heart shape with his hands and hovered it over the left side of his chest where his actual heart was beating right below.

Daichi pursed his lips but couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter from coming up. “That is so cheesy I can’t believe it.”

“It might seem cheesy, but I really have been keeping that spot vacant on purpose. I don’t mind filling it up now.” Kuroo’s fingers reached up and stroked across Daichi’s forehead and down his face. He could see a light blush creep across Daichi’s cheeks, and he couldn’t help but think how adorable the other man was when he was flustered.

“Alright, but don’t put my name there, it’s too normal.”

“What should it be?”

Daichi smiled as he looked at the vacant spot, bringing his fingertips up to trace out a picture. “A crow would look really cool.”

“Oooh and then you can get three claw marks across your heart!”

Daichi laughed, “You literally did claw your way into my heart, didn’t you?”

Kuroo grinned in that sly way that made Daichi’s blood boil, and he wrapped his arms around him to bring him back to his chest. “I did. I wasn’t about to let anyone else have you.”

Daichi sighed as he rested against Kuroo’s hot skin. He had postponed the overwhelming emotions weighing down on him from losing his ship and nearly watching his best friends fight for their lives. The physical exertion from making love to Kuroo did help him release some of the tension and distract him for a while, but in the quiet of the cabin he no longer had the strength to push his feelings away. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw, hoping at least to keep the tears at bay, but his eyes grew hot nonetheless. He released a shuddering breath, and immediately Kuroo’s arms wrapped tighter, his hands rubbing his back in soothing circles.

“It’s okay,” Kuroo whispered into his hair. “You can let it go.” That was all the permission Daichi needed, and he released the sob he’d been holding in. He cried for a while afterwards, letting it all out as Kuroo continued to hold him, saying nothing and yet being just what Daichi needed for comfort. Eventually exhaustion took him, and he fell into a heavy sleep. Even then Kuroo didn’t let go, content to keep his favorite person in the world nestled in his arms for as long as he could and succumbed to sleep as well.

 

After a brief stop to his favorite marooning island where his third of the Inarizaki prisoners were abandoned, Kuroo kept his promise and sailed the Nekoma to the island of Saga. He still couldn’t believe Daichi and his crew were ballsy enough to trespass on that cursed place, let alone live there. Daichi had given Kuroo and his crew instructions on how to navigate in the fog until it was safe to anchor, but that still didn’t quell the nervousness fluttering around in their stomachs’. Yamamoto shivered, staring at the impending wall of fog as they traveled closer.

“Makes your skin crawl, doesn’t it?” A rough voice said beside him, and he looked to see Tanaka standing next to him, nodding his head with understanding.

“Yeah, it’s creepy. How do you stand it? I mean, I’m a brave guy, I’ll face swords, guns, cannons, cannibals, I’ll take them all! But this is… _supernatural_.”

Tanaka squinted in the distance as he ran a hand over his bald head. “Well, it was definitely unnerving at first. The worst is the _quiet_ , even the water hardly makes noise, it’s very spooky. But you get used to it after a while. It’s got its perks!” He clapped Yamamoto hard on the back, and the playful gesture was enough to ease some of his nervousness.

Kuroo tried to keep his features as calm and nonchalant as possible, but inside he was strung just as tight as the rest of his crew. He decided to man the helm himself, but they allowed Hinata to switch with Shibayama in the crow’s nest to call out instructions, since was already familiar with the procedure. What irritated him more than anything was how calm Daichi was standing next to him. Not just calm but comforted by the world of white they were entering, closing his eyes and breathing in the cool, damp air with a hint of a smile.

“How are you enjoying this?” He whispered toward him.

Daichi opened his eyes and glanced his way. The sliver of a smile had faded as he formulated an answer. “A pirate has multiple homes in a way; their ship, the place they make berth, and perhaps where their families reside if they’re lucky enough to have them. One of our homes was just taken away, of course I’d enjoy the only home I have left.”

Kuroo winced and turned his eyes back, gazing forward between the wooden spokes of the wheel. “Sorry.”

“We’ll be okay. We all have each other, and that’s what really matters.”

Up in the crow’s nest, Hinata called out as he spotted the first jagged rock. Everyone held on as the ship rocked back and forth, narrowly missing the spears erupting from the rough sea. Kuroo remained focused and instantly reacted every time he heard Hinata’s instructions, and after a while sweat began to drip down his face despite the coolness of the air.

“Here… drop the anchor,” Daichi instructed, and Kuroo yelled out the command. With the ship finally stopped, Kuroo relinquished the helm to Fukunaga and followed after Daichi to the longboats.

“Can’t I come with you?”

Daichi paused for a moment, staring at the boat as Suga was anxiously wiggling on a seat already. “No, I’m sorry, but I have to ask that you stay here.”

“Why can’t I see your place? Don’t you trust me?”

Daichi turned to look at him, one of his eyebrows cocked high with incredulity. “Honestly, if it was just my home, that would be fine. But this island is a safe haven for my crew. I’m sorry, but we can’t have outsiders here.”

“I thought Ukai and Lady Yachi were here?”

“They’re not outsiders. They may not be crewmembers, but they’re just as close.”

“Hmph, fine.”

Daichi smirked and took a step toward him. Reaching up to cup Kuroo’s face, he stretched his body up to give him a soft peck on the lips. Kuroo quivered in his hands, wondering how he ever became such a pushover.

Asahi and Daichi rowed through the silent water with only Suga accompanying them. They were only making a quick stop to pick up Ukai and Yachi and enough gold to start building their next ship on Johzenji. Suga was leaning out of the boat, his fingertips grazing the water as he waited for Shimizu to emerge. His mouth was twerked to the side in worry when she was strangely absent the whole ride in. He only relaxed when they entered the cavernous lagoon to see Shimizu lounging at the edge of the rocks as she chatted with an enthusiastic Yachi. When they heard them coming, Yachi hopped up on her feet and cheered to see that they were okay. Shimizu smiled radiantly and dove into the water, emerging beside Suga seconds later and dragging him out of the boat and into the water.

“Are you alright? Where are the others?!” Yachi cried, her motions flickering between elation and terror as wild scenarios flashed in her mind.

“We’re all fine, Yachi,” Daichi chuckled as he stepped out of the boat and reached out to rub her head soothingly. “They’re on board the Nekoma right now waiting for us.”

“The Nekoma? What about the Karasuno?”

The smile faded from Daichi once again and he shook his head. “She’s gone, Yachi. The Inarizaki destroyed her. But luckily we escaped with our lives.”

Yachi bit her lip as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She inhaled sharply and nodded, determined to put on a brave face for Daichi, something he always admired in her.

“Where’s Ukai-san?”

“Oh, he’s probably asleep in the bunk room. He found some of the rum in the storage room and I’m afraid he underestimated its potency.”

Despite Ukai being cantankerous for being roused from his sleep to a searing headache, the news of the Karasuno was enough to focus his mind. He gave Daichi similar words of sympathy he’d already heard from others but offered him some gruff hope; it may be the end of his ship, but it’s not the end of them.

In the longboat they packed enough gold to repay Yachi for the loan she had given them to retrieve the Karasuno, and enough gold to finance the building of their new ship. Once they were all packed, Daichi called out to Suga, knowing Shimizu probably had him pinned in some hidden cove. Immediately they heard some splashing, and Suga came swimming toward them with Shimizu next to him. He paused his strokes and bobbed in the water, his hair matted down against his head and his lip nervously caught in his teeth.

“I think I’m going to stay here, Daichi.”

“What? Alone?”

“I’m not alone, I’ll be with Shimizu. I don’t want to leave her again and who knows how long you’ll be away.”

Daichi grimaced at the thought of leaving Suga behind, but he knew they were well stocked on food, and he knew with Shimizu by his side that his friend wouldn’t be lonely. His mind flickered back to the previous night when he pinned Kuroo down on the bed and ripped his clothes off in the heat of the moment, still overwhelmed with the relief of living and the heartbreak of losing his ship. Suga deserved a moment like that himself.

“Alright, we’ll try not to be away long. Be careful.”

Suga beamed at him as he wrapped his arms around Shimizu above the gently lapping water. “I will, though I think you’ll need to be more careful than me.”

Daichi smiled and nodded. “I will.”

They pushed off and drifted out of the cavern, waving goodbye to the two lovers as they floated away. Daichi’s chest felt heavy leaving his best friend behind, but he shook his head and reminded himself it was only temporary. When they arrived back on ship, the Karasuno crew huddled protectively around Yachi and greeted her enthusiastically. They escorted her to Kuroo’s cabin (with fresh linens on the bed), and with her brought the all of the gold to keep safe. Daichi had already warned Kuroo that if he or the other Nekoma pirates touch one bit of their treasure, he would make them wish they’d never been born. It was difficult for them to turn a blind eye, but their fondness for Karasuno and their sympathy for the loss of their ship overpowered their greediness for once.

The next stop on their voyage was to Johzenji, where Daichi would remain to begin his new project. On the way he met specifically with the members of his crew and discussed how they would occupy their own time until Daichi’s new ship was ready, which could take quite some time. He hadn’t considered before that they wouldn’t remain by his side until Suga had chosen to stay on Saga, and he wanted to give them the option to have some time off. At Nishinoya’s suggestion, Kageyama was urged to go with Ukai and Yachi to recover from his injury. Tsukishima, Hinata and Yamaguchi decided to return to Miyagi as well to see their families. Kinoshita was firm about staying with Daichi to help design the new ship and lead the construction. He was one of the carpenters that helped Daichi restore the original Karasuno, and he’d be damned if he let anyone else take charge of the new one, much to Daichi’s approval. Asahi wanted some input as well, since he was in charge of the cannons and ammunitions. After participating and surviving in so many battles, he had a lot of ideas to make the new ship more efficient and deadly the next time they were caught in a fight. Narita seemed indifferent and decided to stay on Johzenji just to find something to do, and Ennoshita blushed as he stated his intention to stay as well, his eyes not meeting anyone else’s as they snickered.

The only two that hadn’t spoken up was Tanaka and Nishinoya, which everyone realized at once and turned to the two noisiest crewmembers (not counting Hinata) who were eerily silent. Nishinoya was chewing nervously on his thumbnail while Tanaka ran his hand over his bald head.

“I know this sounds strange, and I hope you all don’t get the wrong idea,” Tanaka started, rambling slightly as he tried to form the right words. “But I’ve been thinking about staying on the Nekoma for a time, just until the new ship is done. I kinda like these guys, and I’m just not ready to sit still on an island for who knows how long, ya know?”

“Exactly!” Nishinoya added on, excited that he wasn’t alone in his thinking. “I bet they could use another doctor on the ship, and as soon as Karasuno the second is done we’ll come right back!”

Daichi blinked, amazed that they would choose to stay with the pirates who had once marooned them and sold off their ship. He had never considered that they would spark up friendships with them while he was lost in his own romance. After thinking about it a moment, he smiled and gave them a nod.

“That’s fine with me, as long as Kuroo doesn’t mind having two more troublemakers on his ship.” His eyes flickered to the other side of the ship where Kuroo was giving them privacy by manning the helm. A wicked grin spread across Daichi’s face as he continued. “In fact, it might be nice having a couple spies on board the Nekoma. Think you two can handle it?”

Tanaka and Nishinoya straightened their backs and gave him an overly enthusiastic salute. “Yes!!”

The trip to Johzenji was quick and without any complications. As soon as they sailed into port, Ukai secured passage with a local merchant ship for everyone returning to Miyagi and conveniently leaving right away. They all stood on the beach, the four youngest crew members facing them as they cried, and the rest of Karasuno across from them, wishing them luck with tearful smiles. Daichi reached out to mess up each head of hair affectionately as he gave them words of comfort.

“We’ll send you updates as we work, and I fully expect messages back letting me know how you’re doing.”

Hinata opened his mouth to say something but only sobbed. Kageyama had his lips pressed tightly, his eyes intensely glaring at the ground as tears slid down his cheeks. Yamaguchi’s arm was covering his face, but beyond it Daichi could see his head bobbing in a nod. Tsukishima looked uneasy about leaving the crew, but never one to give into extreme emotions looked Daichi in the eye and answered for all of them.

“We will, Daichi-san. Be careful.”

They all waved goodbye as the merchant ship sailed away, and Daichi heard Asahi sigh forlornly beside him.

“I’m gonna miss them. Would if they don’t come back?”

“Why do you always have to think negatively?”

“I can’t help it. They’re all young with their incredible skills and intelligence, would if they find something better?”

Daichi gave Asahi a rough clap on the back and smiled up at his gentle-hearted friend. “Don’t worry, they’re crows. They always find their way back home.”

  


 

 

 

 

 

 

**Epilogue:**

Wild rumors and overblown tales of The Battle of Edo scattered across the more civilized parts of the Caribbean. Some people swore that the entire crew of the Karasuno had perished in the fight, and now their ghosts haunted the temperate waters surrounding the large island. Most however scoffed at the idea, especially since the majority of the Inarizaki crew had been rescued from various places and could give their account of the chaotic battle.

Merchant ships especially rolled their eyes at the crazy stories and carried on as usual. Most were taking the opportunity to do business before the pirates reemerged from their holes with their ships repaired. One particular ship had the daring to sail to Edo themselves, unperturbed by the rumors and excited to cash in on the island filled with wealthy plantation owners. As they sailed around the coast one clear night, the sky dark and filled with sparkling constellations above their heads, the crew peered over the side of the ship and wondered what the battle had been like.

“Do you think there are dead men down there?” One younger man asked, his large brown eyes flickering over dark water.

“Nah, nobody died remember?”

“Ain’t there a ship down there in the depths?”

“Yup, the wreck of the Karasuno, blasted to bits I heard.”

“Serves them pirates right.”

The young man gasped, his hands gripping the railing even tighter. “Did you see that?!”

They all peered over but saw nothing but the murky waves.

“What did you see?”

“It was like a light down below.”

“You’re crazy, there ain’t nothin’ down there but bits o’ ship.”

“I swear I saw it!”

“Young lad’s going crazy. Next, he’ll be saying he’s seeing mermaids, or some shit like that.”

As they all hassled the young man, there was the faint sound of thunder in the distance. They all glanced up at the sky, but across the expanse they didn’t see one wisp of a cloud.

“Where’d that come from?”

“You think maybe it was the heat?”

“It came from there!” The younger one shouted, pointing once again to the ocean. Before any of them could answer, there was a flicker of light cascading from the depths where he was pointing with an accompaniment of thunder, though a little louder this time. They leaned over the edge, fascinated by the strange occurrence now that they had seen it with their own eyes. The light flickered again, bright enough to look like lightning stretching spidery fingers under the waves beneath them. As the thunder roared louder this time, the water began to bubble above the flashing light. Even the wind surrounding them began to pick up, swirling around the area with incredible force. The men began to panic, and they all clamored to get away from the area as soon as they could. The Captain ordered the sails to be opened and they began moving away when suddenly the waters above the light swirled in a circle, churning harder until a hole opened. From the hole in the depths erupted a swarm of black figures, the raging hum of flapping wings and a chorus of ghostly _caws_ ringing out over the rumbling thunder. The crew of the ship watched in a petrified state as the phantom crows spiraled up in the air and spread across the sky, the world growing dark as they erased all signs of light. The men all screamed and cowered down on the deck, covering their heads in case the crows came for them as well. And then suddenly everything grew quiet. Every man trembled as they cracked open an eye and straightened up. The sky was as clear as before, the stars shining brightly and the waters below calm and quiet. None of them spoke as they looked around, until the Captain lifted his chin with fabricated confidence.

“Let’s go trade somewhere else.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this concludes As the Crow Sails!! Yet like the title of this chapter implies, it's not really the end of these stories. I left them very open ended and the characters scattered in case I want to expand them with some separate stories and one shots. I already have a story for BokuKita, so no worries on that front ;) If there are any other stories you'd like or couples to showcase, please let me know, or otherwise I may not do it at all. Interest from you guys definitely helps fuel my ambition. I really hope you all enjoyed it, I know I enjoyed writing it!

**Author's Note:**

> It's a Pirates of the Caribbean AU!! Don't expect the story line to have much resemblance to the movies, and please don't expect this to be historically accurate by any means. I am going to try to be as accurate as I can with certain things, but I also don't want you all to be lost if I go into too much depth on things I've researched that you haven't. I'm warning you all right now this'll be as long as KTMBC if not longer (I don't know why I do this to myself, lol). Like KTMBC it's focused on KuroDai with more ships probably on the horizon as the story develops. If you wanna see more pure hearted KuroDai love like in KTMBC, let me know and I'll write a separate story, this one's gonna be on the lustier side of things, he he he. As always comments are appreciated! They seriously help me get through these long chapter fics like you wouldn't believe.  
> Also, if this is your first time reading my work and like it, check out Kuroo Tetsurou and His Merry Band of Cats (KTMBC), my Robin Hood AU :D It's already finished with multiple one shots as prequels and sequels.


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